NSUI members felicitate Zubeen Garg at Vivekananda Kendra on Friday. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

July 21: He is the undisputed king of Assamese music. And when Zubeen Garg took the podium at the auditorium of Vivekananda Kendra here today, he showed that he is truly a youth icon. In fact, his hit number in the recent Hindi film Gangster has already turned him into one.

Few people know Zubeen up, close and personal. But his friendliness came to light at a felicitation-cum-interactive session organised by the state unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).

The function was attended largely by youngsters and a few prominent personalities of the music and film fraternity. They included singer Sandhya Menon and actors Biju Phukon, Indra Bania and Chetana Das. It was organised by the NSUI to honour Zubeen on the fame he recently achieved on the tough terrain of Bollywood.

Zubeen not only obliged the cheering youngsters, singing one superhit song after another, but also spoke at length about his childhood and musical odyssey.

“Perhaps we took too long in honouring Zubeen, who has not only made a name for himself in Bollywood but has brought glory to the state through his melodious music,” said NSUI state secretary Bibhuti Phukon Borthakur.

“The state has generally been known outside its borders for terrorism and other such issues. Now it has good reason to celebrate because of Zubeen’s chart-buster numbers, which are on the lips of all music lovers across the country,” he added.

The function was conducted by witty anchor Ashim Kaji of All India Radio, Guwahati, in his inimitable style. He succeeded in bringing the best out of the singing sensation.

“Singers are not made in a day. One has to spend hours and hours in riyaz (practice),” said Zubeen, while answering a question from actor Indra Bania on the secret of his success.

Biju Phukon showered accolades on Zubeen, describing him as a singer whose songs are loved and listened to in all parts of the country, from the small villages of Assam to Juhu beach in Mumbai.

“Music is in my blood and now I have absorbed it into my soul,” said Zubeen, explaining how he got attracted to music since his childhood.

The audience cheered lustily when the singer sang his first-ever composition Gaane ki Aane, a song written by poet Hiren Bhattacharyya.

He had set the lyric of his favourite poet to music when he was just 13 years old.

Zubeen meteored to fame on the Bollywood firmament with his Ya ali number in the film Gangster by Anurag Basu.

The music industry is also showering accolades on him for his directorial venture Strings, a film in which he has introduced some folk elements of the state.

Zubeen’s resounding success is evident from the fact that he has even signed eight new projects in Bollywood as a music director.