Rabindranath Tagore

Why is in news? Rabindranath Tagore's 82nd death anniversary being observed in Bangladesh

He was born in Calcutta on 7th May 1861. He was also referred to as ‘Gurudev’, ‘Kabiguru’, and ‘Biswakabi’.

He is regarded as the outstanding creative artist of modern India and hailed by W.B Yeats.

The cornerstone of Tagore’s beliefs and work is the idea that anti-colonialism cannot simply be achieved by rejecting all things British, but should consist of incorporating all the best aspects of western culture into the best of Indian culture.

Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet, novelist, and painter, who was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the west.

He was an exceptional literary figure and a renowned polymath who singlehandedly reshaped the region's literature and music.

He was a good friend of Mahatma Gandhi and is said to have given him the title of Mahatma.

He had spoken at the World Parliament for Religions in the years 1929 and 1937.

He is said to have composed over 2000 songs and his songs and music are called ‘Rabindra Sangeet’ with its own distinct lyrical and fluid style.

He is responsible for modernising Bengali prose and poetry. His notable works include Gitanjali, Ghare-Baire, Gora, Manasi, Balaka, Sonar Tori, He is also remembered for his song ‘Ekla Chalo Re’.

He published his first poems aged 16 under the pen-name ‘Bhanusimha’.

He not only gave the national anthems for two countries, India and Bangladesh, but also inspired a Ceylonese student of his, to pen and compose the national anthem of Sri Lanka.

Besides all his literary achievements he was also a philosopher and educationist who in 1921 established the Vishwa-Bharati University, a university that challenged conventional education.

In 1913 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work on Gitanjali. He was the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize.

In 1915 he was awarded knighthood by the British King George V. In 1919, following the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, he renounced his Knighthood.

He died on 7th August 1941 in Calcutta.