Himanta Biswa Sarma praises Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026 for Bihu showcase on national TV
Synopsis
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly praised Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026 for staging what he called a first-of-its-kind Bihu performance on Zee TV — a cross-cultural collaboration featuring a Bengali artiste performing Assamese folk — framing it as a landmark moment for Eastern India's cultural reach on national television.
Key Takeaways
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma praised Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026 on Zee TV for featuring a special Bihu performance on 13 October 2026 .
The CM shared a clip on social media and posted his message in Assamese , calling it a moment of 'immense pride.' Music director Rathijit Bhattacharjee (Barak Valley) and artiste Lakhinandan Lahon were credited for the performance.
A performer from Bengal executed the Bihu presentation — a cross-cultural collaboration highlighted by Sarma as especially significant.
Sarma described it as a first-of-its-kind Bihu performance on the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa stage, with the potential to expand Eastern India's folk traditions nationally.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has praised the singing reality show 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026' on Zee TV for featuring a special Bihu performance that brought Assamese cultural heritage to a national audience. The CM described the moment as one of 'immense pride' for every Assamese, underscoring the significance of regional folk traditions being spotlighted on mainstream television.
What the Chief Minister Said
Sarma shared a clip of the performance on social media, posting his message in Assamese. In his remarks, he wrote: 'The confluence of the Barak and Brahmaputra valleys represents the pride of the Assamese community, and seeing our beloved Bihu find a place on the national stage is a moment of immense pride for every Assamese. I am truly delighted by this proud initiative of showcasing our Bihu, our roots, our heritage, and our rich cultural identity on a national platform.'
He also extended congratulations to the key creative figures behind the performance, noting its cross-regional character as a particular point of distinction.
Who Was Behind the Performance
The CM specifically acknowledged music director Rathijit Bhattacharjee, a Barak Valley native who has earned national recognition, and popular artiste Lakhinandan Lahon, along with their entire team. Sarma highlighted that an artiste from Bengal performed the Bihu presentation — a cross-cultural collaboration he described as 'particularly noteworthy.'
Significance for Assamese Culture and Eastern India
Sarma called it a 'first-of-its-kind Bihu performance on the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa stage,' arguing it would not only help popularise Assamese culture but also expand the reach of Eastern India's folk traditions more broadly. This comes amid growing national interest in regional music and folk forms, with reality shows increasingly serving as platforms for cultural diplomacy within India.
Notably, the Bihu festival — central to Assamese identity — has historically been celebrated within the northeast but has seen rising visibility in recent years through digital media and national broadcasts. The Sa Re Ga Ma Pa stage, long associated with classical and Bollywood repertoire, hosting a full Bihu presentation marks a meaningful departure from its standard programming format.
About Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026
'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026' airs on Zee TV and is available for streaming on Hindi Zee5. The show has positioned itself under the tagline 'Hindustan Ka Sangeetsthan', reflecting an intent to represent music from across India's diverse regions.
Point of View
Positioning Bihu on a national Zee TV stage serves a dual purpose: pride and visibility. The detail that a Bengali artiste performed the Bihu segment is the real story here, signalling an attempt to bridge the historically fraught Barak-Brahmaputra divide through soft cultural diplomacy. Whether a reality show moment translates into sustained mainstream interest in Assamese folk forms is another question entirely — but the CM's intervention guarantees the clip a second life beyond the episode's original broadcast.
NationPress
13 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma praise Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026?
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma praised the show for featuring a special Bihu performance on national television, which he described as a moment of immense pride for every Assamese. He highlighted the performance's role in promoting Assam's cultural heritage and Eastern India's folk traditions.
Who performed the Bihu segment on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026?
The performance was conceptualised by music director Rathijit Bhattacharjee from the Barak Valley and popular artiste Lakhinandan Lahon. Notably, an artiste from Bengal delivered the Bihu presentation — a cross-cultural element the CM specifically highlighted.
What makes this Bihu performance on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa significant?
CM Sarma called it a first-of-its-kind Bihu performance on the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa stage, noting it could help popularise Assamese culture and mark a unique expansion of Eastern India's folk traditions to a mainstream national audience.
Where can viewers watch Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026?
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2026 airs on Zee TV and is available for streaming on Hindi Zee5. The show carries the tagline 'Hindustan Ka Sangeetsthan.'
What is Bihu and why does it matter to Assam?
Bihu is Assam's most celebrated folk festival and cultural tradition, central to Assamese identity and observed across the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys. Its appearance on a national reality television stage is seen as a significant moment of mainstream recognition for the northeast's cultural heritage.
