GUWAHATI, Jan 24 � Tej Hazarika, son of the legendary musician Late Dr Bhupen Hazarika, has proposed a foundation for preservation of the legacy of his celebrated father. In a letter mailed to this newspaper he sent the proposal mooted for the foundation.
He said, �Since my departure from Assam on November 26, I had been in touch with my family and associates drafting the same proposal, the gist of which I am now making public. While work in the field proceeds unabated, still absent is a universally-accepted trust for Dr Bhupen Hazarika.�
However, he made it clear, �This public statement is not a tool to pressurise anyone, including the Government of Assam, to accept my idea; I am releasing this due to the requests and demands of a number of people in Assam who are evidently concerned about the legacy of Bhupen Hazarika.�
He further said, �We project a transparent and democratic organisation amenable to flexibility, longevity and success. It is to operate as a partnership between the Government of Assam, higher educational institutions, representatives of cultural and civic groups, leaders of ethnic minorities, the private sector and siblings of Dr Bhupen Hazarika.�
Explaining his approach towards the bid to preserve the legacy of his illustrious father, Tej Hazarika said that the Government of Assam should be an important partner and guardian of the trust. This popularly grounded umbrella organisation should represent, enhance and publicise the legacy with all parties working towards the same goal.
Further, Tej said that this is a call to the honourable elders, protectors, guardians, ministers, chairmen, secretaries, treasurers and record-keepers of all denominations to rally around a plan, not around him.
�I am proposing it on behalf of its core supporters. More information will flow in the days ahead. Please consider the pros and cons given the choices. I am soliciting your valuable advice and endorsement of what I believe to be our mutual cause, path and goal,� he said.
He has proposed that the overall objective of the foundation would be to �preserve� and �propagate� the work and philosophy of late Dr Bhupen Hazarika, who was a multi-faceted personality. He was a monolithic creative institution in himself. There is a need to operate in tracks or focused work-groups in order to research, collate, document, archive and propagate his work. The foundation would thus have tracks and track-committees specialising on individual work streams.
