Delhi to celebrate 150th birth aniv of Assam's literature icon

A year-long celebration to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Assamese literature pioneer Lakshminath Bezbaruah will kick-start here next month with a sarod recital by Amaan Ali Khan and Ayaan Ali Khan and a performance by Bollywood singer Angaraag Papon Mahanta.
Assam Association, Delhi (AAD) is taking the initiative of bringing under one platform non-resident Assamese on the occasion.
Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar, sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, actress Sharmila Tagore and filmmaker Jahnu Barua will be among the patrons of the celebrations.
The anniversary celebrations will begin with a cultural evening of songs and music on December 22 in which Papon, the voice behind 'Kyon' ("Barfi") and 'Sun le re' ("Madras Cafe"), and the Khan brothers. A souvenir and an oil painting of Bezbaruah will also be released.

There will also be a short musical documentary film on Bezbaruah and heritage of Assam, to be directed by film critic Utpal Borpujari with music by Papon.
Bezbaruah made pioneering contributions to almost all forms of Assamese literature - poems, novels, short stories, collection of folk tales, dramas, biographical works and satirical essays. 'O Mor Aponar Desh', composed by him, is accepted as the anthem of Assam.

"The event will aim to inspire all non-resident Assamese to get connected to the root and contribute to developing their mother tongue and own heritage by recognising Bezbaruah as their true icon," says Sarat Barkakati, general secretary of AAD.

"The 150th Birth Anniversary of Bezbaruah is an occasion to bring 'a new sense of being Assamese'," he says.
The event will also flag off projects on Learning of Assamese language, on web-based social-cultural forum for exchange of ideas and Web-based comprehensive history of Assam.