Guwahati, Aug 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be on a two-day visit to Assam on September 13-14, instead of the earlier planned September 8 trip, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Wednesday.

The change in schedule comes in view of the Vice Presidential elections slated for September 9.

Unlike the original plan of a day-long tour, the Prime Minister will spend a night in Guwahati.

PM Modi’s visit is centred around the birth centenary celebrations of cultural icon and Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the official celebrations on September 13 in Guwahati.

Meanwhile, the state government will mark Hazarika’s centenary separately on September 8, the day of his birth anniversary, with the state-level celebration committee set to finalise the details on Thursday.

On September 14, PM Modi is scheduled to travel to Mangaldoi in Darrang district, where he will inaugurate the ambitious Guwahati Ring Road project, commission a bridge over the Brahmaputra linking Kuruwa and Narengi, and lay the foundation of the Mangaldoi Medical College and Hospital.

Later, the same day, he will visit Numaligarh in Golaghat district to dedicate to the nation a Rs 4,200-crore bio-ethanol plant at the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL).

The spotlight of the visit, however, remains the commemoration of Bhupen Hazarika’s centenary.

Fondly known as the “Bard of the Brahmaputra”, Hazarika was one of India’s most celebrated cultural figures.

His songs, often blending Assamese folk traditions with universal humanist values, carried themes of brotherhood, empathy, and social justice.

With a career spanning over six decades, Hazarika was also a filmmaker, poet, and political voice.

His iconic composition “Manuhe Manuhor Babe” continues to resonate across generations as a message of humanity and harmony.

The centenary year has already seen a series of cultural initiatives across Assam, including mass singing events involving thousands of artistes, exhibitions, and tributes.

PM Modi’s participation is expected to give a national dimension to the celebrations, underlining Hazarika’s stature as a voice of India’s cultural unity.

“Bhupen da belonged to Assam but his message touched the world. The Prime Minister’s presence will be a befitting tribute,” CM Sarma said.

–IANS

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