Guwahati, Nov 6 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a portal for people to register to attend the November 29 closing ceremony of the birth centenary celebrations of music maestro Bhupen Hazarika in New Delhi.
He said invite to the programme is free and people who register themselves can download the invitation card online, starting November 12.
"The portal will make it possible for everyone from around the globe who loves and respects Bhupen Hazarika to attend the two-hour programme at Bharat Mandapam, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest," Sarma said.
With registration starting on Friday, the portal will remain open till November 28, subject to the capacity of the auditorium.
Eminent singer Usha Mangeshkar will be awarded the first 'Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika National Award' on the occasion, Sarma added.
Renowned singers Shreya Ghoshal, Shankar Mahadevan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, L Subramaniam, Kalpana Patowary, Koushiki Chakraborty, Rahul Deshpande, Mahalaxmi Iyer and Shriram will perform Hazarika's songs on the occasion.
Singers from Assam -- Tarali Sarma, Mousumi Saharia, Shankuraj Konwar, Rupam Bhuyan, Dikshu Sarma, Nahid Afrin, Myukh Hazarika, Zublee, Anindita Paul, Achurjya Borpatro and Dawar Hazarika -- will also perform there.
Besides the prime minister, ambassadors from several countries, governors and chief ministers of different states, Union ministers, parliamentarians and other eminent personalities were also expected to attend the event.
On the occasion, 1,000 artistes and as many college students from Assam will sing together Hazarika's iconic song 'Manuhe Manuher Babe' and also the folk song 'We are in the same boat brother', popularised by the late singer and translated into several languages.
The state government will also arrange a special train to take the singers from the state to the national capital.
The year-long birth centenary celebrations began last year with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending a special tribute meeting for the singer.
The prime minister had also released a commemorative coin of Rs 100 brought out by the Reserve Bank of India to honour him, and a biography of the maestro, titled 'Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika'.
Hazarika was born on September 8, 1926, at Sadiya in Tinsukia district of Assam. He died on November 5, 2011, in Mumbai. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019.
