Cotton’s tribute to Bhupenda

Hundred ex-students to sing an anthem penned by the legend

DAULAT RAHMAN

File picture of Bhupen Hazarika unveiling a statue of Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha at Cotton College Guwahati, May 20: A silver-haired chorus of 100 former Cotton College students from India and abroad will spend a part of end-May rehearsing a song that Bhupen Hazarika penned in 2001 during the centenary celebrations of his alma mater. On May 31, they will gather at the college and sing the anthem in front of Hazarika as a tribute to the “most outstanding talent ever produced by the century-old college”. “Cotton College is not a glitter that will dim by the first light of the morn, Cotton College is the fount of knowledge (Cotton College sikmikoni nohoi, puwatei asta juwa/Cotton College hol gyanor utsah..),” Bhupen wrote. Several prominent singers and former Cottonians, including Jogesh Barua, Jyotimoy Kakoti, Lakhyahira Das, Sangeeta Kakoti and Queen Das, will be part of the chorus at the get-together organised by the Association of Past and Present Office Bearers of Cotton College Union Society. “Bhupenda has become an institution. We will sing the chorus before Bhupenda as a mark of our gratitude to him for his immense contribution to make Assam earn a place of pride on the world map. Many former Cottonians who are in between 65 to 75 years of age will participate in the chorus,” Tilottoma Baruah, a professor of anthropology who is in charge of the entire event, said. “If his health permits, we will request Bhupenda to say few words about the history of the establishment of Cotton College and sing a few lines of the song. We sincerely ho-pe that he will keep our request,” she added. Jogesh Barua, a prominent singer who studied at Cotton between 1952 and 1955, said it would be a “great occasion”. “First, it will be an occasion of nostalgia for my golden days in college. More than that, I will have the privilege to sing for my alma mater before a living legend like Bhupenda. He is undoubtedly the best ever talent produced by Cotton College and he deserves the tribute,” he said. Hazarika graduated from Cotton College during the forties. During his last visit to the college in February, the singer recalled his happy memories associated with the institution, including adda with friends and also a little bit of eve-teasing. Jagadish Dutta, general secretary of Association of Past and Present Office-Bearers of Cotton College Union Society, said the two-day get-together was expected to bring together nearly 5,000 former Cottonians from India and abroad. “All of us are excited about Bhupenda’s participation, which will double the celebration,” he said.