There are some voices that don’t just sing, they flow, like rivers, through the hearts of people. Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s voice was one such river. He was one of India’s most celebrated singer, composer, lyricist, filmmaker, poet and humanist whose influence transcended Assam to reach the global stage.

Born on September 8, 1926, at Sadiya, Assam, to Nilakanta and Shantipriya Hazarika, his childhood was steeped in the folk tunes and lullabies his mother sang. When the family moved to Tezpur, destiny found him. A young Bhupen, just 10, was discovered by Assamese legends Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Rabha. At 12, he sang for Agarwala’s film Indramalati (1939).

A brilliant student, Hazarika completed his education at Cotton College and Banaras Hindu University, before earning his PhD

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