Colombo, May 8 (newsin.asia): The High Commissioner of India, Gopal Baglay and other officials of the High Commission offered floral tributes to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in Colombo on his 160th birth anniversary on May 7. The High Commissioner noted that Gurudev Tagore was an incredible amalgamation of talents.
A release from the High Commission said that a special edition of ‘Sri Lanka Hindi Samachar’, the annual Hindi journal of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission, dedicated to Gurudev Tagore, was released by the High Commissioner on the occasion. The special edition comprises articles, essays, and art works of more than 70 scholars and students of Hindi from both India and Sri Lanka.
The Week-long celebrations of “Tagore Jayanti” were marked by an online music and dance competition and documentary screenings organized by SVCC.
Gurudev Tagore was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize. He won the prize for literature in 1913. He composed the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh. His vision, philosophy and works continue to have a profound influence in South Asia and beyond.
Tagore visited Sri Lanka thrice: in 1922, 1928 and 1934 and had a strong association with the people of Sri Lanka. Visva Bharti University at Santiniketan which was established by Gurudev has attracted several Sri Lankan artists and scholars including the renowned Ananda Samarakoon, who composed the Sri Lankan national anthem Namo Namo Matha.
The foundation stone of the Sri Palee Campus was laid by Gurudev. Acknowledging his deep connect with Sri Lanka, the state of art auditorium with a capacity of 1500, built with Indian grant assistance at the University of Ruhuna, is named after Gurudev Tagore.
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