Google Doodle: Music maestro Dr Bhupen Hazarika 96th birth anniversary

Google Doodle celebrates the music maestro Dr. Bhupen Hazarika's 96th birthday. Read this detailed report on who he was. What is he famous for and what makes him relevant

Google is celebrating Dr Bhupen Hazarika's 96th birth anniversary by paying tribute using a Google Doodle. Mumbai-based artist Ruturaja Mali is the designer of today's Google Doodle.

Dr Hazarika was a jack of all trades and is renowned for his work in filmmaking, writing, poetry and singing. However, people know him for his song 'Dil Hoom Hoom Kare' from the movie Rudaali in 1993. The song was composed by Dr Hazarika and written by Gulzar.

Apart from his artistic side, he was also associated with Bhartiya Janata Party from (2004 to 2011). Dr Bhupen Hazarika holds several accolades under his names such as Padma Vibhushan (2012- posthumously), Bharat Ratna (2019-posthumously), Padma Shri (1997), DadaSaheb Phalke Award (1992), Padma Bhushan (2001), Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship (2018), Asom Ratna (2009) and Friends of Liberation War Honour (2011).

The Music Maestro sang his first song in the movie Indramalati (Assamese language) in 1939. Moreover, it is said that he has sung over 75 songs in the Assamese language, making him one of the best artists in India.

Google Doodle: Some facts about Dr Bhupen Hazarika

- Bhupen Hazarika had 9 siblings, and he was the eldest among the 10 children

- Nilakanta Hazarika, father of Bhupen Hazarika moved to Bharalumukh region of Guwahati with the family in 1929. Further, they moved to Dhubri in 1932, and Tezpur in 1935.

- Bishnu Prasad Rabha, an Assamese artist discovered him at the age of 10, in a public event, where he sang a traditional Assamese song.

- His mother was his inspiration for music. She exposed him to traditional lullabies and Assamese music at an early age.

- Jyotiprasad Agarwala and Bishnu Prasad Sabha took him to Kolkata, where he sang for the Selona company, Aurora Studio.

- He worked at All India Radio, Guwahati after completing his post-graduation. After a while, he won a scholarship from Columbia University for his P.h.D, and he moved to New York in 1949.

- He was friends with Paul Robenson (singer) who helped him learn contemporary music. 

- Bhupen Hazarika translated some English songs of Paul Robenson to Bengali and Hindi.

- He died of multiple organ failure in November 2011.

Google Doodle: Awards and accolades by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika

Though Dr. Bhupen Hazarika won hundreds of awards for his contributions to the music and cinema. Here is a list of the best awards and accolades he won. 

Year	Awards
1977	Padma Shri
1992	Dadasaheb Phalke Award
2001	Padma Bhushan
2008	Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
2009	Asom Ratna
2011	Friends of Liberation War Honour
2012	Padma Vibhushan  (posthumously)
2019	Bharat Ratna (posthumously)

Google Doodle: What is he famous for?

Renowned for his creative work, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika is still revered as one of the greatest Indian musicians. His songs were widely based on humanity and brotherhood. In a career of 60 years, he sang some famous songs in Hindi, Bengali and Assamese.

(Written by Zuhair Zaidi)