Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 5 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday chaired the first meeting of the Core Committee at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati to mark the birth centenary of Bharat Ratna Xudhakantha Dr Bhupen Hazarika, according to the official statement.

The meeting reviewed various aspects related to organising the year-long centenary celebrations of the artist.

Assam Chief Minister Sarma announced that the State Government has decided to observe the centenary from 8 September this year to 8 September next year, and intends to commemorate the occasion as a public celebration.

He stated that the Government would provide all necessary support to ensure widespread participation.

According to the statement, as part of the commemorative initiatives, the Chief Minister informed that the process to rename Dibrugarh airport after Dr Hazarika is underway.

The Assam Cabinet has approved the proposal, which would be forwarded to the Central Government following ratification by the Assam Legislative Assembly.

He further mentioned that although several postage stamps have been issued in Dr Hazarika's honour, no currency has yet been released bearing his name. To address this, the State Government is in discussion with the Reserve Bank of India and the Ministry of Finance regarding the possibility of issuing a commemorative coin.

To facilitate public engagement with the life and works of Dr Hazarika, the Assam Publication Board has entrusted writer and journalist Anuradha Sharma Pujari with compiling a commemorative volume, he added in an official statemement.

According to the statement, a draft has been submitted to the Government, and following its publication, the book would be translated into 23 Indian languages. The aim is to distribute it among the youth across Assam and the wider country. The centenary would also be observed in locations significant to Dr Hazarika's life and career, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra.

The celebrations would commence in Guwahati and conclude in 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Discussions with the governments of Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal regarding their participation have already taken place.

Chief Minister Sarma stated that an essay-writing competition for students and the general public would be launched, similar to the initiative held during the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan. A dedicated portal would be developed for this purpose, and individuals from across India would be able to participate.

District-level committees would be formed to organise local commemorative events, and universities and other educational institutions would be encouraged to hold related activities, as per the official statement.

Except during the forthcoming Assembly elections, events would continue throughout the year. Public suggestions are invited to support the planning process, and several have already been received.

The Department of Culture would take appropriate action based on these inputs.

During the meeting, representatives of various organisations and prominent individuals offered suggestions for the effective conduct of the centenary events.

The Chief Minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the inaugural function on 8 September in Guwahati, and invitations would also be extended to the Chief Ministers of the northeastern states.

He said that the committee's composition may be expanded to include representatives from literary organisations, and stated that all suggestions received would be duly considered. Provision would be made for virtual participation in future meetings.

As per the relesae, the events would be conducted with due solemnity to preserve the legacy of Dr Bhupen Hazarika for the next hundred years. Several universities have expressed interest in hosting events and have informed the Government accordingly.

Among those present at today's meeting were Minister of Cultural Affairs etc Bimal Borah, Minister of Agriculture etc Atul Bora, Minister of Panchayat and Rural Development etc Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Minister of Power etc Prasanta Phukan, Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management etc Keshab Mahanta, Minister of Public Health Engineering etc Jayanta Mallabaruah, Minister of Handloom and Textiles etc UG Brahma, Minister of Water Resources etc Pijush Hazarika, Minister of Transport etc Jogen Mohan, Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare etc Nandita Gorlosa, Minister of Mines and Minerals etc Kaushik Rai, Minister of Tea Tribes and Adivasi Welfare etc Rupesh Gowala, MLAs Prithiraj Rabha and Durga Das Boro, Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota, Additional Chief Secretary of Home and Political Department A.K. Tiwari, Additional Chief Secretary of Cultural Affairs B Kalyan Chakravarty, Additional Chief Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development Dr J.B. Ekka, Vice-Chancellors of several universities, Dr Bhupen Hazarika's son Tej Hazarika (joining virtually from New York), his brother Amar Hazarika, Manisha Hazarika, other distinguished artists, representatives of social organisations and prominent personalities. (ANI)