Bodo dance & music specialist Khirod Khakhlari passes away

HT Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR, Oct 13: Sangeet Natak Award winner and eminent Bodo traditional dance and music specialist Khirod Khakhlari breathed his last on Thursday due to age ailments at Guwahati Medical College & Hospital in Guwahati. He was 96.
Khakhlari was popularly well known among the citizens in the state for his approach towards the upliftment and welfare of traditional Bodo dance and music.
He was admitted to the hospital two-days ago and breathed his last on Thursday afternoon around 12:20 pm.
Khakhlari’s contributions towards the development of Bodo traditional dance & music are endless. He established the Bathou Afat Kristi Sangha, a cultural organisation based in Guwahati and he trained numerous artists.
Khakhlari was awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2005 for his contribution to Bodo dance and music.
Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) chief executive member Pramod Boro mourned over the demise of the eminent dance & music scholar, Khirod Khakhlari.
Various organisations including Bodo Sahitya Sabha, All Bodo Students Union have expressed their deep condolences.
In a press statement, ABSU president Dipen Boro and general secretary Khanindra Basumatary said that the union has expressed deep condolences on the demise of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Khirod Khakhlari.
“ABSU is deeply pained after receiving the news and words are of no help in expressing the sorrow that the union feels at this moment. Sincere condolences to the bereaved family,” the students’ union leader said.
Bodo Sahitya Sabha president, Toren Boro and general secretary, Prasanta Boro while extending deep condolence, said that the Bodo and other indigenous communities have lost a great cultural organiser with the death of Khakhlari.
Bodo Kochari Welfare Autonomous Council’s chief executive member Mihiniswar Basumatary and executive member Anil Basumatary have also extended their deep mourning over the demise of Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee Khirod Khaklary.
The Boro Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul in heavenly abode.