Operation Sindoor Demonstrates India’s Unwavering Strength”: PM Modi at Centenary Event

Emphasizing that irrespective of situations, Assam has always presented the voice of national pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday stated that this spirit has been depicted so nicely through the songs of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. 

Referring to the 1962 war, when Assam itself saw the battle taking place directly, the Prime Minister said that Bhupen Da's music raised the nation's determination, which filled the people of India with renewed energy and will. PM Modi also pointed to Operation Sindoor, underlining that India's firm response to the designs of Pakistan's terrorists reflected the nation's unshakable strength. "The new India will neither compromise on security nor on pride at any cost," he asserted.

The Prime Minister was speaking at the grand celebrations of Bhupen Hazarika's 100th birth anniversary in Guwahati, a century after the birth of the legendary "Shudha Kantho" who voiced the feelings of India through his songs. PM Modi called the occasion a memorable and priceless moment, saying that the performances, energy, and organization he saw moved him very much.

Emphasizing Bhupen Hazarika's lifetime commitment to music, PM Modi underlined that the melodies composed by the maestro brought together India's richly diverse cultures and inspired generations of Indians. He explained how Bhupen Da's own path—from studying the rhythms of the Brahmaputra in Assam to studying music in Kashi, and then going abroad for further studies—was always marked by his passion for his native land. Bhupen Da, the Prime Minister said, became the voice of the common man in films, raising the joys and pains of ordinary lives.

PM Modi also remembered Bhupen Da's dream of an integrated and prosperous Northeast. Referring to the lines from his songs on Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister reiterated that the voice of a genuine patriot never fails to find attention. He referred to the efforts of the government in remembering Bhupen Hazarika's legacy, such as the naming of one of the longest bridges in the nation—the Bhupen Hazarika Bridge—from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.

Referring to Assam and the Northeast's role in India's cultural and historical heritage, PM Modi spoke of the region's festivals, art, natural beauty, and sacrifices for the country. He pointed out that honoring the history of Assam is part of honoring the history of India. The Prime Minister emphasized the need for cultural connectivity in addition to physical connectivity, referring to recent country-level festivities such as the 400th birth anniversary of Veer Lachit Borphukan and the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav in Delhi, which highlighted Assam's talent and heritage.

While speaking on the occasion, PM Modi appealed to the citizens to adopt self-reliance and support local production by adopting the "Vocal for Local" spirit, connecting Bhupen Da's vision to India's journey to becoming a developed nation by 2047. He narrated how Bhupen Da, when only 13 years old, dreamed of a new India in which each oppressed individual would find their due place—a vision that today sounds as the people's collective determination.

Also Read: Bhupen Hazarika at 100: A Celebration of Assam, India, and Unity Through Music