President’s Message on the Occasion of Birthday of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee in his message on the occasion of birthday of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, which falls on today (May 8, 2016), has said: -

"On the occasion of the 155th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, I join my fellow countrymen in paying homage to this great soul of India.

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary is an occasion for us to remember his idea of human love, selfless service and collapsing boundaries. Gurudev made us realize that literature, histories and cultures represent common ideals of humanity that transcend national limits. It is this sense of a shared humanity, a Visva-Bodh that Tagore sang of in his literature and music.

Gurudev Tagore was a great admirer of nature and many of his literary works invoke the simple beauties of the natural world. He believed that religion could be found in the wonders and mysteries of nature – as much as in the temples and sacred books. Gurudev Tagore had a perfect sense of synergy and joy-the joy of submission to a divine power, the joy of surrendering the self, of participating in the vast expanse of nature and reading out to the nooks and corners of humanity.

Tagore’s life and work continue to be a source of immense inspiration to the people of our nation and the world. Let us on this day draw inspiration from Tagore’s words ‘the spirit of India has always proclaimed the ideal of unity. This ideal of unity never rejects anything, any race, or any culture’.”

This release issued at 1505 hrs.