Dibrugarh welcomes cabinet move to rename airport after Bhupen Hazarika

Dibrugarh: Citizens and organisations across Dibrugarh have welcomed Assam cabinet's decision to rename the city's airport after legendary cultural icon and Bharat Ratna recipient, Dr Bhupen Hazarika.

The decision, approved on May 10 under CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's leadership, marks a significant milestone in the state's efforts to commemorate the birth centenary of the beloved artist popularly known as ‘Sudhakantha' (the nectar-voiced).

The cabinet announced plans to convene a special one-day session of the Assam Assembly to pass a formal resolution on the matter, which will subsequently be forwarded to the Union govt for final approval. The move comes after sustained appeals from local organisations.

The campaign to rename the airport gained momentum in early May, when multiple organisations sent memorandums to PM Modi, CM Sarma, and Union civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu. The Dibrugarh Press Club was among the first to submit a request on May 4, followed by the Eastern Assam Chamber of Commerce and Industry on May 6, and the Dibrugarh Sahitya Sabha and Greater Dibrugarh Press Club on May 7. The All Assam Students' Union joined the chorus on May 8, urging authorities to honour Hazarika's contributions.

"This is a moment of immense pride for all Assamese people. We have been advocating for this renaming for years. Hazarika was not just an artist but a unifying force whose music and poetry transcended linguistic and cultural boundaries. The airport bearing his name will serve as a fitting gateway to the region he loved so dearly," Dibrugarh Sahitya Sabha secretary Ratul Gohain said on Sunday.

The Dibrugarh Airport, constructed in the early 1950s and located approximately 15 km from the city at Mohanbari, stands as one of the northeast's busiest aviation hubs, handling over one million passengers annually. It connects major Indian metropolitan centres, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Guwahati, and Bengaluru.

In February 2009, the facility underwent substantial modernisation with the construction of an integrated terminal spanning 113,410 square feet. Its 1,829-meter runway supports night landing and aerobridge facilities, reinforcing its status as a crucial aviation hub.

"Dibrugarh Airport is a gateway to the Northeast, and naming it after Sudhakantha is a fitting tribute. Beyond the symbolic significance, the renaming acknowledges Dibrugarh's importance as a cultural and economic centre in Northeast India. As visitor numbers continue to grow, travelers will be reminded of Dr Hazarika's artistic genius the moment they arrive," EACCI president Bhaskar Gogoi said.