Phased Release of Bhupen Hazarika's Multilingual Book Announced

Details on the Publication of Bhupen Hazarika's Book

Guwahati, Nov 12: The Publication Board of Assam (PBA) has announced that the release and distribution of a 22-language book dedicated to Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika will occur in stages, with plans to send copies to libraries nationwide by the end of January 2027.

According to a letter sent to a local media outlet on Wednesday, the Assam government has already printed and distributed 1.15 million copies of the Assamese, Bodo, Bangla, and English versions during the initial phase.

The subsequent phase will involve providing translated editions at no cost to libraries in regions where those languages are prevalent, as stated in the letter.

The Board has gathered addresses from government, college, and university libraries across India for this initiative.

“The dispatch process is expected to conclude by the end of January 2027,” the Board confirmed.

The PBA noted that the number of printed copies varies by edition, reflecting library needs and expected demand. They clarified that the smaller initial print runs were part of an approved distribution strategy, with plans for additional copies to be printed in later phases as necessary.

In response to concerns from translators, the Board assured that it had met its obligations to them.

“Every translator received the agreed payment along with two copies of their translated work and was granted official guest status for the book launch,” it stated.

This clarification comes after a report on November 10 raised issues regarding delays in the printing and distribution of the translated editions.

Many translators expressed frustration over not receiving copies of their translations despite completing their work, and some voiced concerns about the delays in the printing and distribution process.

Under the guidance of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, the PBA undertook the task of translating the book, originally authored in Assamese by senior journalist Anuradha Sharma Pujari, into 21 additional languages.

The book was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 13, 2025.

This publication is available in Assamese, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Bodo, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali, Konkani, Malayalam, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Kashmiri, Dogri, Odia, Punjabi, Santhali, Tamil, Urdu, Bangla, and Maithili.