JSR youth pays tribute to Zubeen, draws portrait

Ranchi: A Jamshedpur-based youth, Sudesh Puran, has paid his heartfelt tribute to late singer-actor Zubeen Garg by creating a portrait of the legendary Assamese artist using chalks and pencils.Garg, who passed away in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea, had a deep cultural influence beyond Assam and the Northeast.Moved by the artist’s untimely demise, Sudesh felt an emotional connection compelling him to honour the artist through his artwork.“Zubeen da has always been an inspiration to millions. I’ve been listening to his songs for years, but what truly moved me was seeing lakhs of Assamese people flood the streets to bid him the final farewell. It looked as if the people created a sea of love and respect. That moment touched me deeply. I began to explore his life and work more closely, and creating this portrait became my way of paying tribute to such a towering artistic figure,” Sudesh told TOI on Friday.Sudesh dedicated nearly 36 hours to the painstaking task and completed the portrait on Monday. As soon as he shared the portrait on social media, appreciations poured in from netizens, especially from Assam.“For the first time, people are personally thanking me for my artwork, instead of just liking or sharing it as they did before. I’m truly grateful. I only wish Zubeen da could have seen it,” Sudesh said.Meanwhile, Garg’s dream project and final film, ‘Roi Roi Binale’, was released posthumously at a Ranchi theatre on Friday. The release drew large crowds of Assamese residents in the city, who flocked to the theatres to catch one last glimpse of their beloved icon on the big screen.“It felt as if Zubeen da is still alive. All Assamese people watching the film became very emotional. We could not manage to go to Assam to pay tribute when he passed away. So, we made sure to watch ‘Roi Roi Binale’ to show our love and gratitude to our icon. Joi Zubeen Da,” said Sonia Buragohain, a CRPF jawan from Assam posted in Ranchi.Notably, a group of 10 CRPF jawans were among around 100 people who watched the first day first show of the movie at the Ranchi theatre.