Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore, born in 1861 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), was an Indian poet, philosopher, and Nobel Prize winner in literature. He began writing poetry as a child, and his first book appeared when he was 17 years old.

After studying law in England in 1878, Tagore returned to India, rapidly becoming the most important and popular author of the colonial era. His extensive body of work includes poetry, short stories, novels, and plays. Tagore also composed several hundred popular songs, reflecting his deep connection with Indian culture.

Tagore's writing is highly imagistic, deeply religious, and infused with his profound love for nature and his homeland. His masterpiece, "Geetanjali," earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, showcasing his poetic brilliance and spiritual depth.

In addition to his literary achievements, Rabindranath Tagore played a pivotal role in Indian history by composing the Indian national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana." His musical composition, with lyrics from his own pen, was officially adopted as the anthem in 1950, making him an integral part of India's cultural and patriotic heritage.

In 1915, Tagore was knighted by British King George V, but in 1919, he renounced his knighthood in protest against the Amritsar massacre, where nearly 400 Indian demonstrators were killed by British troops.

Tagore's collected poems and plays were published in 1966. He is also renowned for establishing Shantiniketan, a university in Calcutta, embodying his vision of holistic education that goes beyond conventional boundaries.

Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced) and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's "Jana Gana Mana" and Bangladesh's "Amar Shonar Bangla" .The Sri Lankan national anthem was also inspired by his work.[18] His Song "Banglar Mati Banglar Jol" has been adopted as the state anthem of West Bengal.