At 84, gypsy genius Bhupen still raring to go 

Guwahati, Sep 08 : Music maestro Dr Bhupen Hazarika continues to enthrall millions of admirers despite being an octogenarian, and the boisterous celebration back home in Assam as he turned 84 today is testimony to his undying popularity.

Ailing Hazarika, or Bhupenda for most, is still feeling young at heart and wants to have one more shot at film making. 

''I am thankful to people of India and Assam in particular for loving me so much,'' Dr Hazarika told media who is now in Mumbai. 

He is arguably one of the oldest performing stars with his last stage show as late as this April when most of his contemporaries have given themselves much needed rest. 

''I always think I am young,'' Hazarika said as he celebrated his birthday with a traditional Assamese lunch along with cancer patients at the Assam Bhawan in Mumbai. 

Only in August last, the Dada Saheb Phalke Award winner underwent a bypass surgery in Mumbai and today's programme at the Assam Bhawan as part of his birthday celebrations was his first public appearance after the surgery. 

''This is a beautiful world and I am not going anywhere,'' he said with his typical zeal which is infectious. Hazarika has composed soulful music for films like ''Rudaali'', ''Saaz'' and ''Gajagamini''. 

One of India's best-known balladeers, Hazarika still has a couple of projects in hand - he is to score the music for two movies by well-known filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi.