Assam tributes, Bengal summit - Modi on the move

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set for a busy few days in the eastern region, with visits to Assam and West Bengal. On September 13, he will arrive in Assam to participate in the birth centenary celebrations of legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika. The celebrations in Guwahati will feature a musical tribute by 1,200 artistes performing 14 of Hazarika’s timeless songs. The PM will also release a Rs 100 silver commemorative coin and a biography of Hazarika, written by Anuradha Sarma Pujari, which the Assam government plans to distribute widely across India. Modi will spend the night at a state guest house in Guwahati.

The next day, he will visit Mangaldoi in Darrang district and the Numaligarh refinery in Golaghat district to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 19,000 crore. In the evening, he will fly to Kolkata from Jorhat airport.

In West Bengal, Modi will stay at the Raj Bhavan and, on September 15, inaugurate the combined commanders’ conference at the Indian Army’s Eastern Command headquarters, Vijay Durg (formerly Fort William). This three-day conference, attended by top officials including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, is a key forum for discussing reforms, transformation, and operational preparedness of the armed forces.

This marks Modi’s second visit to Kolkata in less than a month; during his previous visit on August 22, he laid the foundation for multiple development projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore and inaugurated three Metro Railway lines, interacting with school children and metro workers. After the conference, he will leave for Purnea in Bihar on Monday afternoon.

These visits highlight Modi’s focus on development projects, national security, and cultural celebrations, reflecting a mix of governance, strategic planning, and honoring India’s cultural icons.