Guwahati: On the occasion of 88th birth anniversary of Late Bhupen Hazarika, the legendary singer and musician from this land of Brahmaputra River, an institute of Mass Communication and Journalism in the prestigious and premier Cotton College, his Alma Mater, has been named after him in presence of an august gathering here this afternoon.
Dr Hazarika’s childhood friend Amal Chandra (Bhaimon) Hazarika unveiled signboard titled Dr Bhupen Hazarika Institute of Mass Communication and Journalism and got nostalgic while recalling aloud the time and events he had shared with the legendary singer in their young days especially in Shillong.
The institute is run and managed by Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC) of Cotton College. Vice-Chancellor of Cotton College University, Dr Dhruba J Saikia said that Dr Bhupen Hazarika has remained essential part of life of people of Assam and will remain so for generations to come.
He was the greatest communicator with masses all over the world and is a role model for those aspiring to shine in the field of mass communication and journalism.
A longtime associate of Dr Hazarika and a noted musician himself, Kamal Kataky said, “There can’t be a better way to pay tribute to the legendary Bard of Brahmaputra by the Cotton College community. Dr Bhupen Hazarika was not a student of mass communication, but a master communicator. His entire life and the works were dedicated to masses all over the world. A great visionary and dreamer, Dr Hazarika could leave indelible mark in the heart of the people from Sadiya (his birth place in Assam) to every corner of the world because of his outstanding communication skill. His Ph D thesis in Mass Communication which was done in Columbia University in the US in the year 1949, should be studied properly by all the students of mass communication. In 1949, he could visualize the importance of audio-visual medium in proliferation of adult education in India.”
With the guitar in his hand, Kataki enthralled the gathering by humming and narrating background of many a popular and time winning songs of Dr Hazarika. He recalled how Bhupen Hazarika was revered all over by stalwarts from different fields including politics.
“There was a tremendous bond of friendship and mutual respect between Bhupen Hazarika and famous artist M F Hussain who even took the pain to visit Bhupen Hazarika’s Nizarapar residence in Guwahati,” Kataki said.
