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Journalism of Courage
Indian music legend Bhupen Hazarika has again been ignored for the Bharat Ratna,but that doesnt dishearten his home state which has found another way to honour its most famous son. The Assam government on Thursday awarded the 82-year-old maestro with the Assam Ratna,the first-ever award of its kind instituted by the government.
Handing over the award at a function,attended by all prominent personalities from the states culture world,Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said it was a special honour from the people of Assam for the greatest living artiste of contemporary times. The award,comprising Rs 3 lakh cash,a citation and a plaque,was handed over to Hazarika.While the Congress-led government in the state has been campaigning for a Bharat Ratna for Hazarika,it was the Asom Gana Parishad that had initiated the campaign with the party also taking up the issue in the Assembly in 2003.
In March 2003,the Opposition moved a resolution in the Assembly,which was followed by an announcement by Gogoi that his government had decided to carry forward the campaign. Last year,Hazarkas name had figured in a list of 99 personalities for nomination to the Bharat Ratna that the government had received during 2007. But that was the possibly the closest it got.
