‘No plan to bring Bhupenda to Assam now’
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG:“We have no plan as of now to bring Bhupenda (Dr Bhupen Hazarika) to Assam. We will do it only when the doctors treating him give us permission,” said Bolen Hazarika, brother of the music maestro.
Hazarika, while speaking at a prayer meet for quick recovery of ailing Dr Hazarika and Jnanpith awardee Mamoni Raisom Goswami, jointly organized by Deepjyoti Socio-Environmental Society of Bishnupur and Assam Club on the Assam Club premises here, said doctors are quite satisfied with the improvement that he has shown.
Jnanpith awardee Dr Goswami continues to be stable in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.
The 86-year-old Dada Saheb Phalke award winner was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai on June 29 following breathing problem and dehydration.
Updating people present in the prayer meet on Bhupenda’s health, his brother said, “We are extremely happy that Bhupenda smiled and gestured to the family members present there. He sat on his bed for some time.”
In her speech, noted Assamese actress and singer of yesteryears Gyanada Kakati hoped that both Bhupenda and Dr Goswami would recover soon and start singing and writing afresh respectively.
The prayer meet was also addressed by Dhyana Sharma, Dr Utpal Hazarika and others.
Earlier, women members of Laban Assamese Namghar presented devotional songs. The prayer meet began with lighting of earthen lamps.
Meanwhile, the members of Assam Club Mahila Sangha also organized a similar prayer meet on the Assam Club premises.
It was earlier reported in the media that Dr Hazarika expressed his desire to return to homeland.
He had a bypass surgery at the same hospital two years ago.
His long-time associate Kamal Kataki, who attended him in Mumbai, told media the singer asked him about his songs and musical instruments.
The doyen of Assamese music had recently lent his voice to the film Gandhi To Hitler, where he sang Mahatma Gandhi”s favourite bhajan Vaishnav jan.
Dr Hazarika is considered as perhaps the only living balladeer in the country, composing his own lyrics and music. He has been a poet, journalist, singer, lyricist, musician, filmmaker, writer and politician.
