A Nobel laureate poet… educator… philosopher… an early advocate of Independence for India…or an ambassador of Indian culture to the rest of the world! Today on his 150th birth anniversary, India and the world fondly remember one of India’s most prominent writers.

Born on 7th May 1861 in Calcutta to a wealthy family, he was the 9th son of Debenadranath and Sarada Devi. The grandson of a rich landlord and social reformer, Rabindranath Tagore did not take to conventional education though he was admitted into the Oriental Seminary School, and so began his home study under several teachers. While he went on later to Bengal Academy and St Xaviers School, it all but lasted for brief periods. After undergoing his upanayan (coming-of-age) rite at the age of eleven, Tagore left Calcutta along with his father in 1873 to tour India for several months. From this father’s estate they even reached Dalhousie where Tagore read biographies, studied history, modern science, astronomy, and Sanskrit, while examining the classical poetry of Kalidasa.

Writing came early to him and in 1874; his first published poem Abhilaash (Desire) was published anonymously in a magazine called Tattobodhini. Tagore’s first book, a collection of poems, was published by Tagore’s friend who wanted to surprise him. However the first time a poem was published with credit to his name was in Amritabazar Patrika (weekly).

Having translated Macbeth into Bengali verse, it was later published in Bharati magazine. Following the style of Vaisnava Padalvali (verses), under the penname of Bhanusingha he wrote Bhanusingher Padavali. In his earlier literacy works, there was impact of his elder brother Jyotirindranath and his wife Kadambari Devi, and two magazines, Bharati and Balaka, which used to get published from the Tagore house, had his regular contribution in them.

Some of the books published by him over the years included his first book of poems, Kabi Kahini (tale of a poet) in 1878, following which he sailed to England with his brother Satyandranath to study under Prof Henry Morley, in the University College in England. On his return in 1880, he not only wrote two musical plays – Valmiki Prativa (The Genius of Valmiki) and Kalmrigaya (The Fatal Hunt), but acted in them too. In 1882, his book Sandhya Sangeet (Evening Songs) impressed Bankim Chandra Chatterjee so much that he conferred his garland on Tagore in a function.

Another famous poem written by him include Nirjharer Swapnabhanga (The Fountain Awakened from its Dream), Kori-o-kamal (Sharp and Flats), Mayar Khela -a musical drama, and other dramasRaja-o-rani (King and Queen) and Visarjan (Sacrifice), Chitrangad – a famous dance/musical drama, Sonar Tari (The Golden Boat)- a famous collection poems.

In 1901 he took charge of editing the magazine Bangadarsha and got involved with the freedom fighting movement. He also established a school in the pattern of old Indian Ashrama at Shantiniketan ‘Bolpur Bramhacharyaashram’. After the death of his wife Mrinalini, he composed Smaran (In Memoriam), a collection of poems, dedicated to his wife. When Lord Curzon’s decided to divide Bengal on the basis of religion he strongly protested it, by attending protest meetings and writing a number of national songs. He also introduced the Rakhibandhan ceremony, symbolizing the underlying unity in undivided Bengal.

In 1909, he began writing the Gitanjali from Silaidaha, Janaganamana also composed by him in 1911 was later selected as the National Anthem of India. In 1912, when he journeyed to Europe, he translated some of his poems/songs from Gitanjali into English. It was there that William Rothenstein, a noted British painter, in London on reading some of his poetry was so impressed with them that he made copies and gave them to Yeats and other English poets. Rothenstien also arranged for a reading in his house where Yeats read Tagore’s poems in front of a distinguished audience comprising of Ezra Pound, May Sinclair, Ernest Rhys etc.

In the mean time, India Society of London published Gitanjali (song offerings) containing 103 translated poems of Tagore. Yeats wrote the introduction for this book and Rothenstein did a pencil sketch for the cover page. This book created a sensation in English literary world.  Ezra Pound’s Poetry Magazine published from Chicago had the honor of publishing the first English poem of Tagore. His six Gitanjali poems appeared in Poetry in December, 1912 issue.

In November 1913, Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature for Gitanjali, and became the first non-westerner to be so honored. On 26th December, he was conferred the honorary degree of “D.Litt.” by the University of Calcutta, and in 1915 was knighted by the British King George V. Between the years 1916 and 1934 he traveled widely.

Receiving the Nobel Prize made him famous overnight and he began world lecture tours promoting inter-cultural harmony and understanding. When in India, he remained at his family home outside of Calcutta, where he remained very active as a literary, spiritual and social-political force. In 1919, following the Amritsar massacre of 400 Indians by the British troops, Sir Tagore renounced his Knighthood. Although a good friend of M.K. Gandhi, he stayed out of politics most of the time and served as a spiritual and creative beacon to his countrymen. The funds he received from his writing and lecturing were used to expand the school (Visva Bharati) he had founded in 1901.

Though Tagore primarily worked in Bengali, after his success of the Gitanjali, he translated many of his other works into English. One of India’s greatest literary figures of India of all times, he is credited to having written over one thousand poems; eight volumes of short stories; almost two dozen plays and play-lets; eight novels; and many books and essays on philosophy, religion, education and social topics. While writing was his first love, another great love was music and he is known to have composed over two thousand songs, both the music and lyrics. Two of them became the national anthems of India and Bangladesh. A lover of art, he even began painting in 1929, and today many of his paintings can be found in museums today, especially in India.

In 1940 a year before he passed away the Oxford University arranged a special ceremony in Santiniketan to honor the poet with Doctorate of Literature. Probably the most prominent figure in the cultural world of Indian subcontinent and the first Asian person to be awarded with the Nobel Prize, his songs popularly known as Rabindrasangeet, have an eternal appeal and is permanently placed in the hearts of all Indians, especially Bengalis.