CM Himanta honours Usha Mangeshkar with inaugural Bhupen Hazarika Award
Synopsis
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced veteran playback singer Usha Mangeshkar as the inaugural recipient of the Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Award, linking her timeless contribution to Indian music with Assam's legendary folk tradition.
Key Takeaways
Usha Mangeshkar has been named the first-ever recipient of the Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Award .
The award was instituted by the Assam government to honour contributions to Indian music and celebrate Hazarika's legacy.
Dr Bhupen Hazarika was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019 and the Padma Bhushan in 2001 .
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma cited Usha Mangeshkar's 'cherished connection' with Assam's musical heritage as a reason for the honour.
The move continues Assam's broader effort to place Northeast India's cultural legacy at the national and international level.
Two of India's most enduring musical legacies converged on Monday, 9 November 2026, when Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that veteran playback singer Smt. Usha Mangeshkar would receive the inaugural Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Award — a new honour that braids the golden thread of Assamese folk music with the wider tapestry of Indian cinema.
A new award, two towering legacies
Usha Mangeshkar, celebrated across decades for her work in Hindi and regional film music, is the younger sister of the late Lata Mangeshkar and a distinguished voice in her own right. CM Sarma paid tribute to her 'timeless voice' and noted her 'cherished connection with Assam's own musical legacy' — a bond the award is designed to honour and amplify. The award itself is named after Dr Bhupen Hazarika, the towering Assamese singer, lyricist and composer whose songs travelled from the banks of the Brahmaputra to concert halls around the world. Hazarika was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and was posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2019, cementing his place in the national cultural canon.Assam's tradition of honouring its cultural giants
The Assam government has, over successive administrations, invested in memorials, festivals and awards that keep Hazarika's memory alive and place Northeast India's artistic heritage in the national spotlight. The institution of an international award in his name is the most ambitious expression of that impulse yet — signalling that Assam intends to export cultural pride, not just absorb it. By choosing Usha Mangeshkar as the first recipient, CM Sarma draws a deliberate line of continuity between Hazarika's universe of river-songs and emotion-drenched composition and the broader Hindi film industry tradition she has inhabited for generations. It is a pairing that speaks to music's ability to dissolve geography.What the honour means for the Northeast's cultural conversation
Awards of this kind do quiet but durable political work. They position a regional identity — in this case, Assam's extraordinarily rich folk and classical music tradition — as a peer and contributor to national culture rather than a footnote to it. For CM Sarma, who leads the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the gesture carries an unmistakable message: the Northeast's stories, songs and legacies belong at the main table. The specific ceremony date and the criteria for future recipients are yet to be announced — but the first name on the award's honour roll has already set a standard that will be difficult to surpass.Point of View
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma makes a calculated cultural statement: that Assam's artistic heritage is not merely local sentiment but a contribution worthy of national celebration. The choice of an inaugural recipient from the Hindi film music world also broadens the award's appeal beyond the Northeast, giving it immediate all-India visibility. For Sarma, who wears both the CM's hat and the NEDA convenor's mantle, soft-power moves like this reinforce his image as a champion of the region's identity within the BJP's national tent. The long-term test will be whether the award sustains its prestige through future recipients or quietly fades — a fate that has claimed many state-level honours before it.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Award?
The Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Award is a newly instituted honour by the Assam government recognising outstanding contributions to Indian music, named after legendary Assamese singer and composer Dr Bhupen Hazarika.
Who is the first recipient of the Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Award?
Veteran playback singer Usha Mangeshkar has been named the inaugural recipient of the award, as announced by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on 9 November 2026 .
Who was Bhupen Hazarika and why is he significant to Assam?
Dr Bhupen Hazarika was an iconic Assamese singer, lyricist and composer whose work became synonymous with the culture and spirit of Assam and the broader Northeast. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2019.
Who is Usha Mangeshkar?
Usha Mangeshkar is a celebrated Indian playback singer known for her work across Hindi and regional films over several decades. She is the sister of the late Lata Mangeshkar.
What is the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA)?
NEDA is a political alliance of non-Congress parties in Northeast India, of which Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the convenor. It seeks to coordinate BJP-aligned governance across the region's states.
