Pune based organisation Sarhad urges PM Modi to name Mumbai-Guwahati Express after Dr Bhupen Hazarika

Sarhad, a social, cultural and educational organisation working to strengthen ties between conflict-affected border regions and the national mainstream, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to name Train Nos. 15647/15648 Mumbai-Guwahati Express as the “Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika Express.”

The appeal was made by Sarhad founder-president Sanjay Nahar in a letter dated August 22, 2026, addressed to the Prime Minister. The organisation said the proposal assumes significance this year as it marks the birth centenary of legendary musician and cultural figure Dr Bhupen Hazarika.

According to the letter, Sarhad, Pune has been seeking the naming of the Mumbai-Guwahati Express after Bhupen Hazarika since 2015. The organisation said Hazarika served as an important cultural link between Mumbai and Guwahati and worked to strengthen connections between the Northeast and the rest of India.

Sarhad said it had undertaken several initiatives in collaboration with Hazarika, including programmes aimed at using music as a means of reducing violence. The organisation said that even after his death, it continued to undertake initiatives with the consent of his family.

The letter said naming the train after Hazarika during his birth centenary year would be an appropriate recognition of his contribution and would also carry significance for people in the Northeast.

Sarhad also enclosed a copy of its April 10, 2015 letter to then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, in which it had made the same proposal. The earlier letter also sought the naming of Train Nos. 15617/15618 Naharlagun-Guwahati Intercity Express as the “Lummer Dai Sampriti Express”, in recognition of Arunachal Pradesh’s first recognised Assamese-language author and his contribution to strengthening ties between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

In its latest communication, Sarhad urged the Prime Minister to take the initiative to rename the Mumbai-Guwahati Express as the “Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika Express”.

The organisation has described its broader mission as providing a human touch to conflict-affected border areas and working to connect communities from the Northeast with the national mainstream. Its founder, Sanjay Nahar, has been associated with initiatives involving social, cultural and educational engagement with communities from conflict-affected regions.