Assam CM Office: Bhupen Hazarika centenary brings UK ensemble to Guwahati
Synopsis
As part of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika's birth centenary, an international music workshop at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati brings Eastern and Western classical traditions together, organised by Seven Sisters Conservatory with the UK-based Bernardi Music Group and celebrating Zubeen Garg's legacy.
Key Takeaways
The Chief Minister's Office of Assam announced an international music workshop at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra , Guwahati, on 31 October 2026 .
The event is part of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Dr.
Bhupen Hazarika , born in 1926 .
The workshop is organised by Seven Sisters Conservatory in collaboration with Kalakshetra Society and conducted by the UK-based Bernardi Music Group .
The event also celebrates the musical legacy of contemporary Assamese artist Zubeen Garg .
The workshop bridges Eastern and Western classical music traditions, reflecting Assam's use of cultural events for international outreach.
A century after his birth, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika is drawing the world to Guwahati — and this time, the music crosses continents. An international workshop at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra is uniting Eastern and Western classical traditions in honour of the legendary composer, as Assam's year-long birth centenary celebrations for the Bharat Ratna laureate reach a new milestone. The Chief Minister's Office of Assam announced the event on 31 October 2026.
East meets West at Kalakshetra's centenary stage
The workshop is organised by Seven Sisters Conservatory in collaboration with the Kalakshetra Society and conducted by the UK-based Bernardi Music Group — a classical ensemble with a focus on cross-cultural musical education. The setting is deliberate: Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, Guwahati's landmark cultural complex built to preserve the legacy of the 16th-century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardev, has long served as Assam's most prominent institutional stage for the performing arts. Placing a global classical dialogue here signals that the centenary is not merely commemorative — it is outward-looking.
The workshop also celebrates the musical legacy of Zubeen Garg, the contemporary Assamese singer and composer whose work carries forward the tradition that Hazarika built. That pairing — the foundational icon alongside his modern successor — gives the event a sense of living continuity, not just historical tribute.
The man the music honours: 'Sudhakantha' Dr. Bhupen Hazarika
Born in 1926, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika — revered as Sudhakantha, meaning 'the voice of nectar' — was one of independent India's most singular artistic voices. His compositions wove together Assamese folk idioms, social commentary, and a deeply humanist sensibility that resonated far beyond Northeast India. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2019. The Assam government has structured 2026 as a year of centenary programmes to honour his memory through institutional platforms, performances, and cultural outreach.
Assam's cultural diplomacy through music
The Bernardi Music Group's participation fits a broader pattern: Assam has increasingly used centenary and legacy events to position its cultural heritage on an international platform, pairing local traditions with foreign classical ensembles to amplify reach. For a state whose musical identity is often underrepresented in national and global discourse, an event that brings a UK-based group into dialogue with Assamese classical and folk traditions is a quiet but pointed statement. More centenary performances and potential releases tied to Hazarika's compositions are expected through the remainder of 2026.
The notes being played at Kalakshetra this week are not just a tribute. They are an argument — that a voice born on the banks of the Brahmaputra belongs to the world.
Point of View
The state government signals a continuity-of-tradition argument that is as much about regional identity as it is about music. In a year when Northeast India's cultural distinctiveness is under increasing national scrutiny, anchoring an international event at Kalakshetra — itself a monument to Assamese civilisational heritage — is a pointed institutional choice. The centenary calendar, if sustained through year-end, could meaningfully raise Assam's profile in global cultural circuits.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 2026 significant for Dr. Bhupen Hazarika?
2026 marks the birth centenary of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, who was born in 1926. The Assam government has organised a year-long series of programmes to commemorate the legendary composer and Bharat Ratna laureate.
What is the Bernardi Music Group?
The Bernardi Music Group is a UK-based classical music ensemble focused on cross-cultural musical education and performances. It is conducting the international workshop at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
What is Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra?
Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra is a major cultural complex in Guwahati, Assam, established to preserve and promote the legacy of 16th-century saint-reformer Srimanta Sankardev through performing arts and cultural programmes.
Who is Zubeen Garg and why is he featured at this event?
Zubeen Garg is a prominent Assamese singer, composer, and music director whose contemporary works build on the legacy of earlier icons like Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. The workshop celebrates his musical legacy alongside Hazarika's compositions.
What is the Seven Sisters Conservatory?
Seven Sisters Conservatory is the organising body for the international music workshop at Kalakshetra, working in collaboration with the Kalakshetra Society and the UK-based Bernardi Music Group for the centenary event.
