On April 1, 2025, Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan hosted an international seminar to commemorate two historic milestones: the centenary of Rabindranath Tagore’s 1924 visit to China and the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China.

The event took place at Cheena Bhavana, the Chinese studies department at Visva-Bharati University—recognized as South Asia’s oldest center for Chinese scholarship.

Who Was Rabindranath Tagore and What Were His Contributions to Nation-Building?

About Tagore

• Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861, in Calcutta. A polymath, he was a Bengali poet, novelist, playwright, musician, painter, philosopher, and educationist.

• He was affectionately known by titles such as Gurudev, Kabiguru, and Biswakabi.

• A close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, Tagore is believed to have conferred upon him the title "Mahatma" (meaning "Great Soul").

  • Gandhi, in turn, referred to Tagore as “Gurudev” and honored him as the “poet of the world.”

• In 1913, Tagore became the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his collection Gitanjali.

Tagore’s Contributions to Nation-Building

Views on Nationalism

• Tagore’s vision of nationalism was deeply inclusive and spiritual. He maintained that true nationalism should uplift human values rather than incite hatred or extreme patriotism.

• His patriotism was guided by ethical and moral principles, grounded in universal humanism, cultural respect, and inter-civilizational dialogue.

• He asserted that India’s strength lay in its unity through diversity—not through forced uniformity or religious majoritarianism.

• Tagore’s idea of nationalism was cosmopolitan and global in outlook, standing in contrast to isolationist ideologies—an approach that remains highly relevant in today's world of rising ethnonationalism.

• In his 1917 book Nationalism, he critiqued the aggressive, Western-style nationalism of the time, warning it posed a threat to both peace and global harmony.

Role in India’s National Movement

• Although he was not a political activist in the traditional sense, Tagore made significant moral and intellectual contributions to India’s independence struggle.

• During the Partition of Bengal in 1905, he actively supported the Swadeshi movement, composing inspiring songs such as Amar Sonar Bangla to promote unity and self-reliance.

• A defining moment came in 1919, after the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, when Tagore renounced his British knighthood in protest.

• He also composed Jana Gana Mana, which was originally written in Bengali and later adopted as the National Anthem of India.

Contributions to Music, Dance, and Art

• Tagore was a pioneering cultural revivalist who helped shape India’s global aesthetic identity.

• He composed over 2,000 songs—collectively known as Rabindra Sangeet—celebrated for their lyrical beauty and emotional resonance.

• His music seamlessly blended classical ragas, folk melodies, and spiritual themes, with iconic songs like Ekla Chalo Re becoming anthems of the nationalist movement.

• He created influential dance dramas such as Chitrangada, Shyama, and Chandalika, which integrated theatre, music, and classical Indian dance forms.

• As a visual artist, Tagore broke from colonial artistic conventions, introducing abstract and symbolic elements that emphasized India’s unique visual heritage.

Literary Contributions

• Tagore revolutionized Bengali literature by modernizing both prose and poetry, often exploring themes like freedom, identity, spirituality, and modernity.

• Notable works include:

  • Poetry: Gitanjali, Balaka, Sonar Tori, Manasi

  • Novels: Ghare-Baire, Gora, Chokher Bali

  • Plays: Chitra, The Post Office

  • Essays: Sadhana: The Realisation of Life, The Religion of Man, Nationalism

Contributions to Education

• Tagore believed that education should liberate the mind rather than impose conformity.

• In 1921, he founded Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan, grounded in the principle of “learning in harmony with nature.”

  • The university became a hub of global learning, with the motto “Yatra visvam bhavatyekanidam” (Where the world meets in one nest).

• In 1937, he established Cheena Bhavana to nurture Indo-Chinese civilizational connections and promote intercultural dialogue on a global scale.