Bhupen Hazarika National Award’ to eminent singer Usha Mangeshkar in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Indian music and her association with the maestro’s works, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Friday (October 23, 2026). The Assam government will present the inaugural ‘Bharat Ratna Dr.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present the award at the concluding ceremony of the singer’s year-long birth centenary celebrations at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on November 29, CM Sarma said at a press conference. The Assam cabinet on Friday (October 23) approved instituting the award to honour personalities for contributions to music and culture, and to perpetuate the legacy of the singer, composer and filmmaker, he added.
Sarma said around 5,000-7,000 people from across the country are expected to participate in the concluding event. The cabinet, meanwhile, also approved increasing the cash prize amount for the prestigious ‘Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev Award’ to ₹15 lakh to reflect its stature as a premier cultural honour, the CM said. The cabinet approved an investment proposal from the M/s Weetek Plastic Private Limited (Welspun Group) to set up its manufacturing unit in Kamrup district’s Rangia at a proposed investment of ₹303.69 crore. It will provide employment for 300 individuals.
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It will showcase Bhupen Hazarika’s remarkable artistic legacy and multifaceted genius, whose music, poetry and humanist philosophy have transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, he said. Renowned singers Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal and artistes from Assam will also pay a musical tribute to the maestro, celebrating his enduring contribution to India’s cultural heritage, the CM said. Sarma said an exhibition will also be organised on the occasion to introduce Hazarika’s timeless creations to a wider international audience.
