Assam govt plans museum where Bhupen Hazarika’s timeless songs came alive
Times of India | 9 September 2026The tribute followed a Sunday visit by an Assam govt delegation led by its additional chief secretary, who inspected the property to plan preservation efforts alongside Bengal authorities. For locals, the event revived memories of watching Hazarika walk down the lane toward Film Services building. “I remember how he would volunteer to perform for over an hour at our para function,” recalled Kamal Sengupta, a local resident. Standing on his verandah directly opposite this building, Mahesh Chowdhury added, “We used to see him sitting near the window, singing... Kalpana Lajmi too lived here. So many people from Assam come to see this flat — it would be wonderful if it were turned into a museum.”
Hazarika moved into this flat as a tenant in 1954, later purchasing the property in stages. “It’s a two-bedroom flat,” said Hiten Hatkhowa, working president of Kolkata Assamese Cultural Organisation, which co-organised the commemorative event alongside Assam govt. “My father-in-law, Ratna Ojah, was his student. He shared the flat with Bhupen-da’s brother, Jayanta Hazarika. Bhupen-da occupied one bedroom, while the other two shared the second room,” he said.
Hatkhowa noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Hazarika’s year-long centenary celebrations on Sept 8, 2025. “On Tuesday, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced plans to acquire this property to establish a permanent memorial, noting that the matter would be taken up with Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari,” he said.
Efforts to secure the residence date back to 2019. That’s when former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal first broached the topic with Bengal authorities. “The property was approved for inclusion on KMC Heritage List in Jan 2020 during a meeting of the mayor-in-council members. However, the specific notification or gazette number relating to the heritage listing has not been publicly disclosed. Since the grading process was pending, the final notification may not have been issued at that stage,” Hatkhowa pointed out.
He also added that Assam govt had previously moved to purchase the flat from the current owner. “Approximately Rs 1.5 crore was allocated for the acquisition and an additional Rs 25 lakh for renovation. However, the registration could not be completed at the time,” Hatkhowa explained, noting that inter-state discussions have resumed under the current administration.
