Assam Government has expressed its desire to purchase Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Bhupen Hazarika's house in Kolkata and convert it into a cultural centre.
Under the instruction of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam Minister for Cultural Affairs Naba Kumar Doley and Chief Minister's Media Adviser, Hrishikesh Goswami today held negotiations with Sushil Kumar Dangi, the owner of the house at 77 Golf Course Tollygunge, to whom the legendary singer had sold the house.
Doley and Goswami initiated discussion with Dangi at Assam House in Kolkata and conveyed the state government's keen interest in taking the ownership of Bhupen Hazarika's house where the bard of Assam used to live from the middle of 1950 till he shifted his base to Mumbai because of his musical pursuit, a state government release said here.
The discussion was held in a very congenial atmosphere as the present owner responded positively and assured to look into the matter, the release said.
After the discussion Doley and Goswami visited the house and took stock of its present condition.
Hazarika's house in Kolkata from where he created many of his masterpieces is also associated with the emotions of the people of Assam, informed Doley and Goswami.
Showing respect to the emotions of the people of Assam, the state government under the directions of the Chief Minister has taken initiative to claim the ownership of the house to make it a cultural centre, they said.
Doley and Goswami at the behest of Sonowal had rushed to Odisha and met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday for preservation of Assamese litterateur Sahityarathi Lakshminath Bezbaroa's residence in Sambalpur where he spent several years of his life creating his literary works.
Patnaik yesterday assured the Assam delegation that Odisha Government will preserve Bezbaroa's house and committed Rs 50 lakh for preserving the heritage residence.
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