The Assam government has decided to bestow the inaugural Dr. Bhupen Hazarika National Award upon veteran playback singer Usha Mangeshkar. The 90-year-old singer will be honoured in New Delhi, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will present the award to her on November 29 at Bharat Mandapam. As part of the recognition, Usha Mangeshkar will receive a cash prize of 10 lakh rupees along with a citation.
The felicitation event coincides with the grand celebrations marking the 100th birth anniversary of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in New Delhi. The state of Assam has been observing celebrations for Bhupen Hazarika's centennial birth anniversary over the past three years. This prestigious award ceremony will mark the grand finale of these extensive celebrations.
According to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, this national award will be presented once every three years. Prominent personalities who have established a distinct identity at the national or international level within the fields of music, art, and cinema will be selected for this honor. The primary objective behind instituting this award is to carry forward the rich cultural and artistic legacy left behind by Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.
A Remarkable Musical Journey and Multilingual Legacy
Reflecting on her expansive musical journey, the veteran singer has lent her voice to songs across numerous languages, including Marathi, Manipuri, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Odia, and Assamese. She is the youngest among the four Mangeshkar sisters. Usha Mangeshkar is the younger sister of the late legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar and renowned singer Asha Bhosle, having inherited her musical prowess directly from her musical family.
Usha Mangeshkar began her professional playback singing career in 1975 with songs from the film 'Jai Santoshi Maa'. Her devotional tracks in the movie received an overwhelming response from audiences everywhere, and her unique voice won immense admiration. She is also widely celebrated for her iconic track 'Mungda' from the Marathi film 'Pinjra'. Throughout her career, she has recorded songs for films in multiple languages and even produced the Doordarshan musical drama 'Phoolwanti'. The upcoming Dr. Bhupen Hazarika National Award will serve as another significant milestone in her illustrious career.
