The Assam cabinet announced that the state government will institute the Dr Bhupen Hazarika National Award, with singer Usha Mangeshkar selected as its first recipient.
“The civilian honour awardees for 2026 will be announced after one month and the winners of both 2025 and the current year will be presented the awards separately in two events,” said Sarma.
The ceremony will mark the conclusion of the year-long birth centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday after the cabinet meeting. “The award will be presented every three years. Four eminent persons — wildlife veterinarian and conservationist Dr Kushal Konwar Sarma, sculptor and set designer Padma Shri Nuruddin Ahmed, singer Pulak Banerjee and conservationist Purnima Devi Barman — would be conferred the Asom Saurabh awards, the CM informed.
The award, which carries a cash component of ₹ 10 lakh and a citation, will be presented to Mangeshkar on November 29 in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sarma said the cabinet had decided to increase the prize amount of the Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev International Award from the existing ₹ 10 lakh to ₹ 15 lakh.
It will be a national award conferred to an internationally acclaimed singer, composer, lyricist, movie director, actor or any other field related to the works of Hazarika,” he said. “The highest civilian honour of Asom Vaibhab will be conferred on Dr Harsha Bhattacharjee, president and founder trustee of Sri Sankardeva Nethralaya, for his immense contribution to healthcare and society,” Sarma said.
