By- Staff Reporter | Date- November 05, 2011
The legendary singer-composer Dr Bhupen Hazarika, undergoing treatment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, passed away today at 4.37 p.m. The 85 years old Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner was undergoing treatment at the hospital since June 29, after he complained of breathlessness and was on dialysis. Both of his kidneys had failed and since then the legendary composer was in bed.
The music genius, who was also a trained journalist with a degree of Mass Communications from the prestigious Columbia University in the 1940s, has left behind millions of fans in tears.
Some of his awards were:
- The Padma Bhushan (2001)
- The Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992)
- The Asom Ratna (2009)
- The Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2009).
- Became the first Indian music director for Best Music internationally for the film Rudaali at the Asia Pacific International Film Festival in Japan in 1993.
- Winner of the All India Critic Association Award for the Best Performing Folk Artist (1979)
Mentionable that Dr. Bhupen Hazarika was involved in various controversies in the last decade before he passed away, right from his losing in Parliamentary elections to his involvement with Kalpana Lazmi, and also by declaring about his first girl friend was a Bihari girl during the Assamese-Bihari riots in 2003 amidts sparks of controversy. However, lakhs of people lighted earthern lamps and candle lights across the state of Assam to mourn and honour his departed soul.