GUWAHATI, Aug 24: A complete English translation of all 346 songs of legendary singer, composer and cultural icon Dr Bhupen Hazarika was released at Assam Bhawan in Kolkata on Saturday as part of his birth centenary celebrations. The 656-page book, compiled and edited by Dr Hazarika’s long-term associate Kamal Kataki and writer Devajit Bhuyan, has been published by the Asam Sahitya Sabha.

Sabha president Dr Basanta Kr Goswami was present at the function along with other dignitaries. The translators are Arup Kumar Dutta, Bhaswati Goswami, Bibekananda Choudhury, Debashish Bezbaruah, Dhirendra Nath Bezboruah, Dibya Ranjan Sharma Khataniar, Dr Suranjana Barua, Dr Sushanta Khound, Kiran Deka, Krishna Dulal Barua, Nirendra Nath Thakuria, Nripen Dutta Baruah, Pradip Acharya, Rabin Goswami, Upendra Nath Sarma and Devajit Bhuyan.

The publication is being seen as a monumental effort to introduce Dr Hazarika’s rich body of songs to readers across linguistic boundaries and to preserve his enduring contribution to Indian culture, a press release stated. Meanwhile, ahead of Hazarika’s birth centenary celebration in September, Filmmaker Utpal Borpujari has made an 82-minute feature-length documentary, Manuhar Gaan (The Hum of Humanity), exploring the social and socio-political dimensions of Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s songs.

The documentary seeks to introduce audiences outside Assam and Bengal to the depth of Bhupen Hazarika’s social commitment as an artiste and his lifelong engagement with issues of social injustice and the struggles of the downtrodden.