Friends of Bhupen Hazarika, Kasturi Lal Begi and Rupam Bodo, sport T-shirts with his face printed on them, in Guwahati on Monday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, Sept. 8: Singer-musician and Dada Saheb Phalke award winner Bhupen Hazarika celebrated a quiet 82nd birthday at his Mumbai apartment today, while the state government chose the occasion to confer the first Assam Ratna award on him.

Announcing this, chief minister Tarun Gogoi today said the award was a “birthday gift” from the people of Assam. He said Hazarika had presented the diverse and socio-cultural life of the state through his creations.

The award will be presented to the maestro at a function soon, the chief minister added. It comprises Rs 3 lakh and a gold-plated citation. The award was given in recognition of Hazarika’s immense contribution to the “social life” of the state.

The maestro, however, chose to remain out of the spotlight, as his birthday celebration was a subdued affair attended only by his very close friends and relatives.

Speaking to The Telegraph over phone, Hazarika said he was “feeling younger each day though the doctors don’t agree”.

Kalpana Lajmi, Hazarika’s companion for several years, said the maestro was not in the best of health and hence the celebrations were a “brief affair among family friends”.

Devashis Sharma, a senior state government official at Assam Bhawan in Mumbai and one of the invitees to the birthday party, said the iconic singer was in the best of spirits at his Regency Apartment in Lokhandwala.

Sharma offered him a bouquet on behalf of chief minister Tarun Gogoi at the birthday party that started at around 9.30pm and ended shortly after the cake was cut after midnight.

“There were 10 people in all, including Kalpana Lajmi and her parents. Bhupenda took it upon himself to regale the gathering with some of his popular numbers, including We are in the same boat brother. He was in his element, reflecting on his life and times.

“I consider myself lucky to have been a part of the gathering. Bhupenda retired soon after cutting the cake,” Sharma told The Telegraph. Sharma, quoting Hazarika, said, “I want peace everywhere in the world. I want Assam to prosper. If there is peace, the rest of the good things will follow.” Hazarika also commended the state government’s efforts in providing succour to the cancer-stricken by deciding to increase the capacity of Assam Bhawan.

“He often visits the cancer patients at Assam Bhawan, which is very close to his heart, and tries to lift their spirits by interacting with them,” Sharma added.