On the occasion of India’s 78th Independence Day, the Nobel Prize Foundation shared a handwritten translation by Rabindranath Tagore of India’s National Anthem. 

“‘Jana Gana Mana’ is the national anthem of India, originally composed in Bengali by poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913,” the X account of the Nobel Prize said while sharing a picture of the translation penned by Tagore.

“Jana Gana Mana” is the national anthem of India, originally composed in Bengali by poet Rabindranath Tagore, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.

Pictured: An English translation of Jana Gana Mana by Tagore pic.twitter.com/8p1AzBNQoQ

— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) August 15, 2024

The translated version titled “The Morning Song Of India” reads “Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people, dispenser of India’s destiny. Thy name rouses the hearts of the Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat and Maratha. of the Dravida, Orissa and Bengal. It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of the Yamuna and Ganges and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Ocean. They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise. The saving of all people waits in thy hand, thou dispenser of India’s destiny. Victory, Victory, Victory to thee.

India’s first Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, originally composed the hymn as “Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata” in Bengali on 11 December 1911.

The first out of the five stanzas of the song was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India as the National Anthem on 24 January 1950. 

The members of the Indian delegation to the General Assembly of the United Nations held in New York in 1947 gave a recording of “Jana Gana Mana” as the country’s national anthem
 

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tributes to Rabindranath Tagore, an iconic talent who excelled in varied fields, on his birth anniversary.

He said on X, “I pay homage to Gurudev Tagore, on the occasion of his Jayanti. His enduring wisdom and genius continue to inspire and enlighten innumerable people across generations.”

Born in present-day West Bengal, Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature and his rich contributions as a playwright, poet, composer, educationist, philosopher and social reformer have made him one of the most respected Indians. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

Maintaining that Rabindranath Tagore was an emotion, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Wednesday said that the Nobel laureate’s memory cannot be obliterated or ignored.

Mr Bose made the comment when asked by reporters about the row over the plaques installed at the Visva-Bharati, founded by Tagore, to mark the UNESCO world heritage tag.

The plaques installed at the central university’s Santiniketan campus in Birbhum district do not have Tagore’s name, but bear those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the chancellor, and Vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty.

“Tagore is a feeling, an emotion felt in the heart of Indians. There cannot be any instance where Gurudev’s memory is obliterated or ignored. Gurudev enjoys the highest respect in the minds of all Indians,” said Mr Bose, who is also the rector of the varsity, on the sidelines of a programme at the Raj Bhavan.

Santiniketan, where Tagore built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September.

The omission of Tagore’s name led to a row between the state government and the varsity authorities following which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded immediate replacement of the plaques.

The Trinamool Congress is holding a demonstration outside the varsity demanding removal of the plaques as they do not have Tagore’s name on them.

“Established in rural West Bengal in 1901 by the renowned poet and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and on a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries,” according to a UNESCO website.

Tagore set up a university there in 1921. Ten years after his death, Visva-Bharati was declared a central university and an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament in 1951.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata:

After an outrage over the omission of Rabindranath Tagore’s name from plaques installed at Visva-Bharati to mark it being declared a global heritage site by UNESCO, West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Friday said that the vice chancellor of the varsity has explained his position to him.

“Yesterday itself, I discussed with the VC of the Visva-Bharati (Prof Bidyut Chakrabarty). He explained his position. We both reminded each other that Gurudev symbolises the best in culture and tradition… Visva-Bharti without Rabindranath Tagore is like Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark…” CV Ananda Bose, who is also the rector of the university told the reporters here.

The plaque was mired in controversy for not mentioning the Nobel Laureate’s name and instead featuring the names of the Chancellor (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and the Vice Chancellor (Bidyut Chakrabarty).

UNESCO granted World Heritage Site status to Santiniketan on September 17, following which a plaque was installed at the university.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also warned the central government to restore Rabindranath Tagore’s name on the plaque put up at the Viswa Bharati University.

“Santiniketan has achieved the UNESCO tag because of Rabindranath Tagore…He is the creator of Santiniketan and Viswa Bharti. Since it was Durga Puja, we kept quiet. If they do not restore Rabindranath Tagore’s name, our local people will protest holding Rabindranath Tagore’s photo,” Banerjee said, speaking at a press conference in Kolkata.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Kolkata/Santiniketan:

Even as a Trinamool Congress demonstration against the omission of Rabindranath Tagore’s name from plaques installed at Visva-Bharati to mark it being declared a global heritage site by UNESCO threatened to become a major political issue, it is learnt that West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the rector of the university, has intervened and demanded an explanation from the vice-chancellor.

TMC leaders and workers congregated near the central university since 11 am on Friday to demonstrate against the plaques which were earlier placed by the varsity authorities. The move had irked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who announced the agitation on Thursday.

Sources in Raj Bhavan said after the Governor demanded an explanation on the omission of Tagore’s name, VC Professor Bidyut Chakrabarty has clarified that the text to be engraved on the plaque had been submitted to the Department of Archaeology, Government of India, for approval.

Governor Bose is said to have indicated “that Gurudev Tagore is a symbol of the greatness and gravitas of Bengal, Bharat and humanity at large” and he should be honoured in the new plaques to be installed.

The scene at Santiniketan where TMC had announced an indefinite agitation remained peaceful with demonstrators singing Tagore songs and reciting poetry.

West Government Fisheries Minister and TMC leader Chandranath Sinha, who led the demonstration, told reporters, “We will stay here with our protest till the plaques are rectified. We are not withdrawing our demonstration.” 

He pointed out that local residents, alumni of the university and other concerned citizens had never sought any plaques, but since they have been put up with only the names of the chancellor, who is traditionally the prime minister of the country, and the vice-chancellor, they wanted recognition for Tagore, the founder of the university.

Earlier on Thursday, Ms Banerjee had told reporters, “It is only for Tagore that Santiniketan got the UNESCO tag and you (the central government) have removed his name from the plaques. We were silent because of Durga Puja celebrations.” 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Santiniketan, where Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The world body made the announcement in a post on ‘X’ on Sunday.

“New inscription on the @UNESCO #WorldHeritage List: Santiniketan, #India. Congratulations!” it posted.

BREAKING!

New inscription on the @UNESCO#WorldHeritage List: Santiniketan, #India . Congratulations!

https://t.co/69Xvi4BtYv#45WHCpic.twitter.com/6RAVmNGXXq

— UNESCO #Education #Sciences #Culture (@UNESCO) September 17, 2023

India has been striving for a long to get a UNESCO tag for this cultural site located in Bengal’s Birbhum district.

The decision to include Santiniketan in the list was taken during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee currently underway in Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “proud moment for all Indians”. “Delighted that Santiniketan, an embodiment of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s vision and India’s rich cultural heritage, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This is a proud moment for all Indians,” he posted on X.

There could not have been a better gift on PM Modi’s birthday other than the UNESCO listing, Cultutre Minister G Kishan Reddy said. “The listing Congratulations. Santiniketan in West Bengal has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This is India’s 41st World Heritage site and India stands 6th on the World Heritage List. No better gift on the 73rd Birthday of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hon’ble PM is the chancellor of the Visva Bharati and it is under his dynamic leadership that the Ministry of Culture is committed to the global recognition of our monuments, sites, and places that showcase our rich history and culture,” Mr Reddy posted on X.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was glad and proud that Santiniketan has finally been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

“Biswa Bangla’s pride, Santiniketan was nurtured by the poet and has been supported by people of Bengal over the generations. We from the Government of West Bengal have significantly added to its infrastructure in last 12 years and the world now recognizes the glory of the heritage place. Kudos to all who love Bengal, Tagore, and his messages of fraternity. Jai Bangla, Pranam to Gurudev,” she posted on X.

“An immensely proud moment for all citizens of our great nation and Bengalis around the world. May Bengal forever remain a shining beacon of hope, embracing the teachings and ideals of Rabindranath Tagore,” Abhishek banerjee tweeted.

Noted conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah, who had worked on preparing a dossier for its inclusion in the list, said she was “dancing with joy” after hearing the news.

“We had worked on the dossier in 2009 and, maybe time wasn’t right then, but we always believed in the beauty of Santiniketan, and today we feel vindicated seeing it in the UNESCO list,” she told PTI.

Mumbai-based Lambah, many of whose works have received awards and recognitions from the UNESCO, said that once the ICOMOS recommended for its inclusion in the list, it was nearly certain that it would happen.

A few months ago, the landmark site was recommended for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List by international advisory body ICOMOS.

The France-based International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is an international non-governmental organisation that comprises professionals, experts, representatives from local authorities, companies and heritage organisations and is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of the architectural and landscape heritage around the world.

Santiniketan, a university town over 160 km from Kolkata, was originally an ashram built by Rabindranath Tagore’s father Debendranath Tagore and anyone, irrespective of their caste and creed, could come and meditate before the one Supreme God, according to a description of the landmark on the official website of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Maharshi Debendranath Tagore was a leading figure of the Indian Renaissance. “Among the structures built by the Maharshi was the Santiniketan Griha and the beautiful stained glass Mandir, or temple where worship is non-denominational. Both structures built in the second half of the 19th century are important in their association with the founding of Santiniketan and the universal spirit associated with the revival and reinterpretation of religious ideals in Bengal and India,” the website says.

Visva-Bharati, located in Santiniketan, is one of the most prestigious universities in India with degree courses in humanities, social science, science, fine arts, music, performing arts, education, agricultural science and rural reconstruction.

It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore and was declared a central university and an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament in 1951.

Visva-Bharati is the sole central university of West Bengal and the prime minister is its chancellor.