The setting up of the first Radio Station in the northeast immediately after Independence was made possible by a great personality who put at stake his lucrative government job and sought for his first love and devotion – music and humanism.
It was due to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s unselfish effort that brought Radio Station in the northeast in 1948, a prized addition in those considering the georaphical isolation that the region is challenged with. The historical anecdote goes thus…
Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was fond of Shillong and used to come down here often. After Independence he organized a “Hills and Plains Week” with artist invited from all over the northeast at Shillong. The venue was the lovely Park at Barik Point, now known as Hydari Park, after Assam’s first Governor, Sir Muhammad Saleh Akbar Hydari.
The then Governor Hydari was much impressed with the zeal of young Bhupen Hazarika and after the weeklong festival of music and cultural show, he invited Dr. Bhupen Hazarika for dinner.
In the course of the discussion he came to know that, not only the young singer was good at music, but was also highly qualified holding a Master’s Degree in political Science and offered him a Government job.
“The Governor said ‘why don’t you take up a Government job,’ to which he (Dr. Bhupen Hazarika) promptly replied ‘please give us a Radio Station for the region instead,’” Bolen Hazarika, brother of the singer, recalled the anecdote here at the Assam Club today.
The Governor was taken aback by the passion of the singer and in a way obliged. Soon a Radio Station was set up in 1948 with two centres, one at Guwahati and the other here at Shillong.
The first announcer of the Northeast service was film star of yesteryears, Jnanada Kakati, who was present at the commemoration of 1st anniversary of the singer and rose first to light the lamp kept before the singer’s picture, wearing the quintessential smile, trademark cap and Gamocha.
The gathering also formed a human chain and pledged to live by the ideals of the revolutionary singer and visionary. The gathering also rendered one of the most popular songs of the artist Manuhe… Manuhor Babe(people for people.)
There were several other dignitaries, some who knew the singer personally and shared anecdote related to the singer’s love for music and all sections of the society.
“If there were any ‘isms’ he believed in…that was humanism,” an old gentleman said, paying tribute to the singer. Others echoed in similar lines, they said that music was the medium the great singer used to spread his message of universal brotherhood, which the younger generation must emulate to bring peace love and friendship all around.
“From childhood our parents – Nilkanta Hazarika and Shantipriya Hazarika – inculcated in us to love and respect every individual. So he (Dr. Bhupen Hazarika) was a kind and simple person from childhood and never differentiated between rich or the poor nor had any other classification in his outlook. He looked at everyone as equal human being,” Hazarika said.
Stating that for some people it may seem that the singer’s demise has left a vacuum, but for others his ideals is a constant companion.
“There are lots of youngsters who are following his music and ideals so there are several Bhupen Hazarikas in our midst just because they follow his ideals and approach towards life, which is Manuhe… Manuhor Babe,” Bolen Hazarika said.
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