Bhupen Hazarika Wiki:- Bhupen Hazarika (8 September 1926 – 5 November 2011) was a multi-talented Indian artist from Assam. He was a playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet, actor, artist, editor, filmmaker, professor, and politician. Widely known as Sudha Kontho (meaning cuckoo or “nectar-throated” in Assamese), he wrote and sang songs mainly in Assamese, reflecting themes of humanity and universal brotherhood. His music was appreciated in many languages, particularly in Bengali and Hindi.
Bhupen Hazarika’s songs, promoting communal amity, universal justice, and empathy, gained immense popularity in Assam, West Bengal, and Bangladesh. He played a significant role in introducing Assamese and Northeast Indian culture and folk music to Hindi cinema on a national level. He received numerous prestigious awards during his lifetime, including the National Film Award for Best Music Direction (1975), Padma Shri (1977), Padma Bhushan (2001), Dada Saheb Phalke Award (1992), and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2008).
Even after his passing, Bhupen Hazarika’s contributions were recognized with posthumous honors, including the Padma Vibhushan (2012) and the Bharat Ratna (2019), India’s highest civilian awards. He also served as the Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi from December 1998 to December 2003, leaving a lasting impact on Indian music and arts.
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Bhupen Hazarika Biography
Bhupen Hazarika was born on 8th September 1926 in Sadiya, Assam, on the banks of the Brahmaputra River, to parents Nilakanta and Shantipriya Hazarika. His father originally hailed from Nazira, Sivasagar district. Being the eldest of ten children, Bhupen, along with his siblings, was exposed to the musical influence of his mother, who introduced him to lullabies and traditional Assamese music.
In 1929, Bhupen’s family moved to Guwahati’s Bharalumukh region in search of better opportunities. He spent his early childhood there. Later, in 1932, they relocated to Dhubri and then to Tezpur in 1935. It was in Tezpur where, at the age of 10, Bhupen Hazarika’s musical talent was discovered by Jyotiprasad Agarwala, a noted Assamese lyricist, playwright, and filmmaker, and Bishnu Prasad Rabha, a renowned Assamese artist and revolutionary poet. During a public event, Bhupen sang a Borgeet, a traditional classical Assamese devotional song taught to him by his mother. This event led to his association with the icons of Assamese culture and marked the beginning of his artistic growth and achievements.
In 1936, Bhupen Hazarika accompanied Agarwala and Rabha to Kolkata, where he recorded his first song at the Aurora Studio for the Selona Company. At the tender age of 12, he sang two songs in Agarwala’s film “Indramalati”: “Kaxote Kolosi Loi” and “Biswo Bijoyi Naujawan.” Bhupen Hazarika’s passion for revolution and his zeal for expressing himself through art were evident even in his early years. At the age of 14, he wrote the poem “Agnijugar firingathi mai” (I am the spark of the age of fire), reflecting his revolutionary spirit. Bhupen’s journey as a lyricist, composer, and singer had already begun to take shape during his childhood, laying the foundation for his illustrious career in the world of music.
Bhupen Hazarika Wiki Bio Details
| Full Name | Dr. Bhupen Hazarika |
| Nick Name | Sudha Kontho |
| Profession | Indian Playback Singer, Musician, Lyricist, Actor, and Poet |
| Birth Date | 8 September 1926 |
| Birth Place | Sadiya, Tinsukia district, Assam, India |
| Age | 85 Years Old (At the Time of Death) |
| Home town | Sadiya, Tinsukia district, Assam, India |
| Category | Wiki |
| Famous For | Mesmerizing Voice |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
Bhupen Hazarika Death
In 2011, Bhupen Hazarika was hospitalized at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute. He was admitted to the intensive care unit on 30 June 2011 and sadly passed away on 5 November 2011 due to multi-organ failure. After his passing, his body was placed at Judges Field in Guwahati for public viewing before his cremation on 9 November 2011. The cremation took place near the Brahmaputra River on a plot of land donated by Gauhati University. The funeral was attended by an estimated half a million people.
Physical Appereance
| Eye Colour | Light Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
Education Qualification
| School |
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| College/University |
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| Educational Qualification(s) |
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Family & Relationship
| Father’s Name | Nilakanta Hazarika |
| Mother Name | Shantipriya Hazarika |
| Spouse/Ex | Priyam Hazarika |
| Children | Tez Hazarika |
Bhupen Hazarika Career
Bhupen Hazarika’s time at Columbia University greatly influenced him, particularly by civil rights activist Paul Robeson. He composed the song ‘Bistirno parore,’ inspired by Robeson’s ‘Ol Man River’ imagery and theme. In the third All Assam conference of IPTA, Bhupen Hazarika served as the Secretary of the Reception Committee. He was also a teacher at Gauhati University but later left his job and moved to Kolkata. He directed award-winning films such as ‘Shakuntala Sur,’ ‘Pratidhwani,’ ‘Lati-Ghati,’ ‘Chik Mik Bijuli,’ ‘For Whom the Sun Shines,’ and ‘Mera Dharam Meri Maa.’
Bhupen Hazarika composed songs and music for several Assamese and Bangla movies, including ‘Aarop,’ ‘Chameli Memsaab,’ and ‘Shimana Perye.’ He was also a prominent playback singer, lending his voice to movies like ‘Era Bator Sur’ and ‘Shakuntala Sur.’ His recent works included movies like ‘Darmiyaan,’ ‘Gaja Gamini,’ and ‘Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence.’ His last film as a playback singer was ‘Gandhi to Hitler.’ Bhupen Hazarika’s significant contributions to Hindi cinema as a music director included films like ‘Arop,’ ‘Ek Pal,’ and ‘Rudaali.’ In 1993, he won the ‘Best Music Director National Award’ for the movie ‘Rudaali.’
Films
| Year | Film | |
| 1939 | Indramalati | |
| 1948 | Siraj | |
| 1955 | Pioli Phukan | |
| 1956 | Era Bator Sur | |
| 1958 | Mahut Bandhu Re | |
| 1961 | Shakuntala | |
| 1964 | Pratidhwani | |
| 1964 | Ka Swariti | |
| 1966 | Lati-Ghati | |
| 1969 | Chik Mik Bijuli | |
| 1974 | Aarop | |
| 1974 | For Whom the Sun Shines | |
| 1975 | Chameli Memsaab | |
| 1975 | Khoj | |
| 1976 | Roop Konwar Jyoti Parsad Aru Joymoti | |
| 1976 | Mera Dharam Meri Maa | |
| 1977 | Through Melody and Rhythm | |
| 1977 | Shimana Perye | |
| 1978 | Chameli Memsaheb (Bengali) | |
| 1979 | Mon-Prajapati | |
| 1979 | Debdas | |
| 1981 | Chameli Memsaab | |
| 1982 | Aparoopa | |
| 1986 | Swikarokti | |
| 1986 | Ek Pal | |
| 1988 | Siraj | |
| 1993 | Rudaali | |
| 1993 | Pratimurti | |
| 1995 | Pani | |
| 1997 | Do Rahain | |
| 1997 | Darmiyaan: In Between | |
| 1998 | Saaz | |
| 2000 | Gaja Gamini | |
| 2001 | Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence | |
| 2003 | Kyon? | |
| 2006 | Chingaari | |
| 2011 | Gandhi to Hitler |
Awards & Honours
Bhupen Hazarika received several prestigious awards and honors throughout his life and even posthumously:
- Best Feature Film in Assamese for “Shakuntala” at the 9th National Film Awards (1961)
- Best Music Director National Award for “Chameli Memsaab” at the 23rd National Film Awards (1975)
- Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India (1977)
- Gold medal from the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh for his outstanding contribution towards tribal welfare and uplift of tribal culture through cinema and music (1979)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1987)
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992)
- Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India (2001)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2008)
- Asom Ratna, the highest civilian award in the State of Assam, India (2009)
- Friends of Liberation War Honour, Government of Bangladesh (2011)
- Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in India (2012, posthumous)
- Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India (2019, posthumous)
These awards and honors recognize his immense contributions to Indian cinema, music, and cultural heritage.
Net Worth & Salary
| Net Worth | N/A |
| Salary | Not Known |
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