Bhupen Hazarika

While studying at Columbia University in New York, he met Priyamvada Patel and they later got married in 1950. They were blessed with a son, Tej Hazarika, in 1952.

Bhupen Hazarika died on November 5, 2011, of multi-organ failure, in Mumbai, India. His body was cremated near the Brahmaputra River in a plot of land donated by Gauhati University.

Bhupen Hazarika was born on September 8, 1926 in Sadiya, Assam, British India, to Nilakanta Hazarika and Shantipriya Hazarika. He was the eldest of their ten children.

During his childhood, his family shifted several times before settling in Tezpur where his musical talent was spotted by Jyotiprasad Agarwala, the noted Assamese lyricist, and Bishnu Prasad Rabha, a renowned Assamese artist.

In 1936, he traveled with his mentors to Kolkata where he recorded his first song at the Aurora Studio for the Selona Company. In 1939, he sang two songs in the film ‘Indramalati’. He wrote his first song, ‘Agnijugor Firingoti Moi’, at the age of 13.

He received his early education from Sonaram High School in Guwahati, Dhubri Government High School in Dhubri, Tezpur High School and the Cotton College. Later, he attended Banaras Hindu University where he completed his graduation and post-graduation, obtaining his BA (1944) and MA (1946) in Political Science.

In 1949, he got enrolled at the Columbia University, New York, on a scholarship and earned his doctoral degree in 1952 on his thesis "Proposals for Preparing India's Basic Education to use Audio-Visual Techniques in Adult Education".

While at Columbia University, Bhupen Hazarika was influenced by Paul Robeson, a civil rights activist and composed his song ‘Bistirno parore’, based on the imagery and theme of Robeson's ‘Ol' Man River’. He also composed some other songs in Indian languages.

In 1955, he served as the Secretary of the Reception Committee of the Third All Assam Conference of IPTA. He also served as a teacher at the Gauhati University but left the job after few years and shifted to Kolkata.

Later, he became a director and made award winning Assamese films such as ‘Shakuntala Sur’ (1961) and ‘Pratidhwani’ (1964). Some of his other directorial ventures include ‘Lati-Ghati’ (1966), ‘Chik Mik Bijuli’ (1969), ‘For Whom the Sun Shines’ (1974) and ‘Mera Dharam Meri Maa’ (1976).

He also worked as a composer creating timeless music for many Assamese films and Bangla movies such as ‘Aarop’ (1973), ‘Chameli Memsaab’ (1975) and ‘Shimana Perye’ (1977).

He was also a prominent Assamese and Hindi playback singer and lent his mesmerizing voice to movies such as ‘Era Bator Sur’ (1956), ‘Shakuntala Sur’ (1961), ‘Titash Ekti Nadir Naam’ (1973) and ‘Rudaali’ (1993).

Bhupen Hazarika composed some of the most famous Assamese songs including ‘Bistirno Parore’, ‘Moi Eti Jajabor’, ‘Ganga Mor Maa’, ‘Bimurto Mur Nixati Jen’, ‘Manuhe Manuhor Babey’ and ‘Buku Hom Hom Kore’.

One of his major contributions to Hindi cinema was being the music director of outstanding films such as 'Arop', 'Ek Pal', and 'Rudaali'. He also won the ‘Best Music Director National Award’ for ‘Rudaali’ in 1993.