‘We expect strong chargesheet,’ says sister Palme after Zubeen Garg’s D.Litt honour

Guwahati, Dec 9: Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg was posthumously conferred the honorary Doctor of Literature (D.Litt) degree at the 4th Convocation of Cotton University on Tuesday, marking an emotional moment for his family.

The honour was formally received by Garg’s sister, Palme Borthakur, on his behalf.

Speaking at the ceremony, she described the recognition as deeply emotional and bittersweet.

Calling the D.Litt a “great academic honour”, Borthakur said the family was deeply grateful to Cotton University for recognising Garg’s lifelong contribution to music, culture and society.

“This is a very big honour for us. It is an emotional moment. I am accepting this honour in his absence, which makes it even more painful that he is not here to receive it himself,” she added.

Calling it a painful realisation, she said it reflected a harsh reality of public life, expressing disappointment that many people approached her brother for personal interests, while very few genuinely enquired about his health and well-being.

“The Zubeen Garg incident is now known to the entire world. What we witnessed in the last few days showed how a true artiste is honoured by the people. Whether it brought change or catastrophe, it revealed his real worth. The more people came to know; the more love and respect they showered upon him,” Borthakur said.

Referring to the ongoing legal process related to the case surrounding Garg, she voiced hope that justice would prevail.

“We are expecting a strong chargesheet so that no culprit is spared and Zubeen gets justice,” she said.

The conferment of the honourary doctorate stands as a formal recognition of Garg’s extraordinary legacy, which continues to inspire generations of artistes and admirers across Assam and beyond.

In addition to that, ace sprinter from Assam, Hima Das, also received her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Science at the convocation.

Earlier, the convocation ceremony unfolded in the presence of the Governor of Assam and Chancellor of Cotton University Lakshman Prasad Acharya, and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at Shankardev Kalakshetra in Panjabari.

Reflecting on his years at his alma mater, Sarma urged graduates to lead Assam’s journey towards competence and self-reliance, and extended his best wishes to the graduates.

"As a proud alumnus of Cotton College (now University), it is always a joy to meet young friends from my alma mater. Today, at the 4th convocation of the University, I re-lived my golden journey in Cotton and extended my best wishes to all the pass outs. Make Assam proud," wrote Sarma in social media post.