Gaurav Gogoi Writes to PM Modi for Posthumous Bharat Ratna to Zubeen Garg

Congress MP from Jorhat and Deputy Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on late singer-composer Zubeen Garg, one of Assam and the Northeast’s most influential cultural icons.

In a communication dated January 30, 2026, Gogoi said Zubeen Garg’s untimely and tragic death had plunged Assam and the wider Northeastern region into deep grief, marking the loss of a towering cultural figure whose influence extended far beyond regional boundaries.

The MP noted that he has consistently raised the demand for national recognition for Zubeen Garg across multiple institutional platforms. He recalled that on December 3, 2025, he formally raised the issue in Parliament, seeking the posthumous conferment of India’s highest civilian award on the acclaimed artist.

Gogoi further stated that a day earlier, on December 4, 2025, he had written to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, flagging concerns surrounding the circumstances of Zubeen Garg’s death during an official Government of India cultural engagement abroad. In that letter, Gogoi sought clarity and accountability from the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the incident.

In his letter to the Prime Minister, the Jorhat MP highlighted Zubeen Garg’s unparalleled contribution to Indian music and culture, noting his role in taking the Assamese language and artistic expression to national and international audiences. He also referred to the strong public sentiment across Assam and the Northeast following the artist’s passing.

Gogoi asserted that conferring the Bharat Ratna posthumously on Zubeen Garg would be a fitting national tribute to an artist whose life’s work transcended regional identities and became an enduring part of India’s composite cultural heritage.