Guwahati: The Asam Sahitya Sabha has announced that it will posthumously confer the prestigious ‘Sangeet Sudhakar’ title on legendary Assamese artiste Zubeen Garg in recognition of his immense contribution to music, literature and Assam‘s cultural landscape.
The announcement was made on Sunday during a press conference at the Dr Mahendra Nath Bora Memorial Conference Hall at Bhagawati Prasad Barooah Bhawan in Guwahati.
Addressing the media, Asam Sahitya Sabha General Secretary Debojit Bora said the decision was approved by the organisation’s executive committee and governing body following a resolution adopted during its Panchratna-Guwahati session.
The honour will be formally conferred on July 30 at the Sangeetacharya Lakshmiram Barua Sadan in Guwahati, where Asam Sahitya Sabha president Dr Basanta Kumar Goswami will present the title.
The ceremony will include a cultural programme featuring music, dance and theatrical performances dedicated to Garg’s life and artistic journey. The Sabha will also organise a national seminar on his contributions, bringing together scholars from across the Northeast to present research papers. The papers will later be compiled and published in book form.
To expand the reach of Garg’s work, the organisation has also decided to translate a selection of his songs into English, Hindi and Bengali, making his music accessible to audiences beyond Assam.
Earlier, on July 7, a delegation of the Asam Sahitya Sabha visited Jonali Studio and met members of Garg’s family, including Garima Saikia Garg, to formally convey its decision.
Widely celebrated as the “Voice of Assam”, Zubeen Garg built an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades. Born on November 18, 1972, he rose to prominence with his debut album Anamika in the early 1990s and went on to become one of the most influential figures in Assamese entertainment.
Apart from being an acclaimed singer, Garg excelled as a composer, lyricist, music director, actor and filmmaker, recording thousands of songs in Assamese and several other Indian languages.
The posthumous recognition reflects the Asam Sahitya Sabha’s acknowledgement of Garg’s lasting impact on Assamese music and culture and his enduring legacy as one of the state’s most celebrated artistes.