Gaurav Gogoi urges PM Modi to confer posthumous Bharat Ratna to Zubeen Garg
Guwahati, Jan 30
Assam Congress President and Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, urging the posthumous conferment of the Bharat Ratna on late singer-composer Zubeen Garg.
Garg is widely regarded as one of Assam and the Northeast's most influential cultural icons.
In a letter dated January 30, Gogoi said Garg's untimely and tragic demise has plunged Assam and the wider Northeastern region into profound grief, leaving behind a cultural void that would be difficult to fill.
He described the late artist as a towering figure whose creative influence transcended regional boundaries and resonated across the country and beyond.
The Congress MP noted that he has consistently advocated national recognition for Zubeen Garg through various institutional forums.
Recalling his earlier interventions, Gogoi said that on December 3, 2025, he had formally raised the issue in Parliament, seeking the posthumous conferment of India's highest civilian award on the acclaimed musician.
Gogoi further mentioned that a day later, on December 4, 2025, he had written to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, drawing attention to concerns related to the circumstances surrounding Garg's death during an official Government of India cultural engagement abroad.
In that communication, he had sought clarity and accountability from the Ministry of External Affairs regarding the incident.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, the Jorhat MP highlighted Zubeen Garg's unparalleled contribution to Indian music and cultural expression, particularly his role in taking the Assamese language, folk traditions, and contemporary music to national and international audiences.
He underlined that Garg's work helped place the cultural identity of Assam and the Northeast firmly on India's artistic map.
Gogoi also referred to the overwhelming public sentiment across Assam and the Northeastern states following the artist's passing, stating that people from all walks of life have demanded a fitting national honour for the late musician.
He asserted that posthumously conferring the Bharat Ratna on Zubeen Garg would be a befitting tribute to an artist whose life's work became an enduring part of India's composite cultural heritage and collective memory.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While Zubeen Garg was undoubtedly a great artist, the Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian award. We must consider if his contributions, though significant, truly match the stature of past recipients like Lata Mangeshkar or Sachin Tendulkar. This feels more like a regional political move than a genuine national honour discussion.
As someone from Guwahati, I fully support this. Zubeen da gave us an identity on the national stage. He sang in Assamese, Bodo, Bengali, Hindi... he was a true cultural ambassador. The circumstances of his death abroad also need proper investigation. Joi Aai Axom!
I'm not from India, but I became a fan of Zubeen Garg's music while traveling there. His voice had incredible power and emotion. It's beautiful to see how much he is loved and how his work is being recognized. Awards like this help the world discover amazing artists.
Good to see an MP pushing for this. But why only now? And why is the letter mentioning the death during a govt program? Feels like politics is being mixed with a genuine tribute. Just honour the man for his art, don't make it a political tool. His legacy is bigger than that.
He truly deserves it. He brought Assamese folk music to my generation. My parents listened to Bhupen Hazarika, I grew up with Zubeen Garg. It's about time the cultural icons of the Northeast get the national recognition they have always deserved. 🤍