Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya Scindia, on Monday conferred the Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika National Awards at a ceremony in Guwahati, celebrating the centenary year of the legendary artist. The event, organised by Sarhad Pune, honoured six eminent personalities for their contributions to literature, music, cinema, and cultural preservation.
The recipients included Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi (Arunachal Pradesh), Laishram Mema (Manipur), Rajni Basumatary (Assam), L. R. Sailo (Mizoram), Dr. Surjya Kanta Hazarika (Assam), and Prof. David R. Syiemlieh (Meghalaya).
Speaking at the ceremony, Scindia paid rich tributes to Hazarika, describing him as a poet, musician, and the “voice of the nation” whose art united hearts and celebrated India’s diversity. “Honouring individuals in Bhupen Da’s name means celebrating not just an artist but an era of empathy and cultural synthesis,” he said.
Reflecting on his personal connection with the Northeast, Scindia recalled the enduring ties between his family and the region. He recounted how his grandfather, Maharaja Jivajirao Scindia, had set up the Assam Relief Fund after the devastating 1950 earthquake to assist the affected people. “The same deluge that erased Sadiya, Bhupen Da’s birthplace, also gave rise to songs that turned pain into poetry and loss into light,” Scindia said.
“The resilience of Bhupen Da’s music reminds us that even in sorrow, there is song – that the human spirit, like the Brahmaputra, always finds its course again,” he added, describing the Bhupen Hazarika Setu as a living symbol of the artist’s vision of unity and progress.
The Minister lauded Sarhad Pune and its founder Sanjay Nahar for their long-standing efforts in promoting national integration and nurturing students from conflict-affected regions. He appreciated the organisation’s initiatives such as the Bhupen Hazarika Music Studio, cultural exchange programs, and hostels for girls from the Northeast, calling them “acts of empathy that strengthen the fabric of national harmony.”
Later in the day, Scindia addressed the 12th Nanhi Chhaan National Essay Contest, which saw participation from over 50,000 students across India. Engaging with the young winners, he praised their clarity of thought and patriotic spirit, describing them as “the torchbearers of a Viksit Bharat.”
Applauding the Nanhi Chhaan Foundation for advancing women’s empowerment, environmental protection, and interfaith harmony, Scindia said the essays reflected the “confidence, compassion, and curiosity” that will define India’s future.
He emphasized that the true strength of Viksit Bharat lies in empowering women and youth. “Our daughters must see themselves not as bystanders but as architects of change,” he said, invoking the courage of Assam’s freedom heroine Kanaklata Barua. “India’s march towards a developed nation will gain unstoppable momentum when women’s empathy and leadership join hands with youthful innovation and energy.”