Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Assam on Saturday (September 13) evening on a two-day visit to the state.
During his visit, he will attend the birth centenary celebrations of the legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika.
PM Modi is scheduled to arrive in Guwahati at 4.20 pm, following which he will attend a meeting from 5.15 pm, where he will pay tributes to the musical doyen.
He will release a Rs 100 commemorative coin issued by the Reserve Bank of India to honour Hazarika, and also a biography of the maestro, titled ‘Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika’, written by Sahitya Akademi awardee Anuradha Sarma Pujari.
The celebrations will include an 18-minute musical tribute by 1,200 artistes who will render 14 evergreen songs of Hazarika in a medley.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Khanapara Veterinary College Field late on Friday night to review preparations for the PM’s visit, and directed officials concerned to ensure flawless arrangements and tight security measures.
“A few hours to go as Assam gets ready to welcome Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji. Joined my fellow karyakartas to review last-minute preparations,” the CM posted on X.
The commemorative coin, weighing 40 gm, is made of pure silver and measures 44 millimeters in diameter. One side of the coin will feature a portrait of Bhupen Hazarika, with the inscription ‘Dr Bhupen Hazarika Birth Centenary’ written in Hindi along the upper circumference and English along the lower circumference, while the year 2025 will be mentioned below his image.
The other side of the coin will display the Ashoka pillar emblem, with the denomination 100 with the Indian Rupee symbol beneath it, and on either side of the denomination, ‘Bharat’ in Hindi and ‘India’ in English will be inscribed.
The coin is non-circulating, created solely for preservation as a collectible or heritage item and not for general market circulation, with its estimated price expected to be in the range of Rs 7,600 to Rs 8,000.
The biography of the maestro, written in Assamese, will be translated in all major Indian languages, and the Assam government plans to distribute it to around 20 lakh people along with all the libraries of the country.
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On Sunday, Modi will visit Mangaldoi in Darrang district and Numaligarh refinery in Golaghat district. During his visit, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for various projects valued at over Rs 19,000 crore. He is also scheduled to address public meetings at both locations.
The PM will leave for Kolkata from Jorhat airport on Sunday evening.
