President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday paid homage to writer, painter and poet Rabindranath Tagore on the eve of his 154th birth anniversary, referring to him as 'one of the greatest intellectual icons of India'.
"I join my fellow citizens in paying homage to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, the first Nobel laureate of Asia and one of the greatest intellectual icons of India, on the occasion of his 154th birth anniversary," said President Mukherjee.
"It is significant that even after lapse of a century, Tagore has not lost relevance. On one hand, his literary exuberance continues to win him millions of fans in India and across the world. On the other hand, his ideas and concepts on subjects such as education, village reconstruction, cooperative endeavour and many others still guide our path to a better and brighter world," he added.
President further hailed Tagore's concept of education, modelled on the ideal of ancient Indian 'Tapabona' and said it encourages young learners to savour joyous education in the open outdoors rather than dry and dreary classrooms.
"The need for a symbiotic relationship between man and nature is an idea whose time has come. Similarly, Tagore's ideas on rural reconstruction based on cooperative farming, guided by the policy of self-help and mutual harmony are reflected in the concept of 'community colleges' which are now accepted globally," said President Mukherjee.
"A century ago, Tagore envisaged mutual cooperation of nation and civilization, anticipating the idea of globalisation. In today's strife-torn world where disruptive forces are raising their ugly heads to destroy peace and mutual friendship, Tagore's message of universalism carries solace and inspires confidence in a better future," he added.