Guwahati — The second Bishwaratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award 2015 was conferred on internationally acclaimed filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan in a function held at Rabindra Bhawan here Sunday.
The biennial award, instituted by the Asam Sahitya Sabha and sponsored by the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), carries a memento, a citation, an eri chador, a collection of books and a cehck of 500,000. The first international solidarity award instituted in the memory of the cultural icon had been given to eminent research scholar and dance exponent Lubna Marium of Bangladesh.
Sudakshina Sarma, eminent singer and younger sister of Dr Hazarika, offered her tributes and captivated the audience with the song Paneir ponati.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, while speaking on the occasion, said that the State government would soon institute an international universal brotherhood award in the name of the Bard of the Brahmaputra. He said that the international stature of the award requires a clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs, reported The Assam Tribune.
“The creations of Dr Bhupen Hazarika spoke of the people, their joys and sorrows. Problems are everywhere in the societies across the world. However, art, culture and literature can bring about the much desired reforms in the world,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said that though the Bharat Ratna was not conferred on Dr Hazarika, it would not deter the State government from taking up this issue with the Centre once again.
Adoor Gopalakrishnan, a multifaceted personality, has pioneered the film society movement in Kerala. A winner of several international film awards, he had won the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2004.
Speaking on the occasion, he recalled his association with Dr Bhupen Hazarika and the similarities between Assam and Kerala. “I had already known Dr Hazarika and we had met on a few occasions. Receiving an award in his name is an honour and I am indebted to the Asam Sahitya Sabha for this unique honour,” he said.
“Geographically wide apart, Assam and Kerala are close to each other emotionally and attitudinally. The heavy monsoons, the humidity that sprouts life, areca nuts, bamboo, elephants, rice, tea, music and theatre, the passions and preoccupations, are all the same,” he added.
Minister of Cultural Affairs Bismita Gogoi, Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora, former Sabha president Rong Bong Terang, former Judge of the Supreme Court Mukundakam Sarma, NRL Managing Director P Padmanabhan, among other dignitaries, also spoke on the occasion.