He said this while inaugurating centenary celebrations of Nobel award to Rabindranath Tagore, which started with international seminar "Vibrations between Tagore and the World: Culture and Literature with special reference to China" at Viswa-Bharti here.
"This seminar thus will not merely celebrate the award of a Nobel Prize to an individual; it will celebrate the potential of the idea of exchange, cooperation and multi culturalism," he said.
Tagore had sought to revitalise the historical bond of spirituality, non violence and tolerance between India and China, Mukherjee said.
He said the key note of Tagore's 'Talk in China' in 1924 emphasised the necessity of the two Asian neighbours to strengthen bonds across culture and together strive for the welfare of its citizen rather than look for material greed or power.
"What did Tagore seek within China? He had noted from 1881 onwards, the oppression suffered under imperial rule by the both nations. But he had also carefully noted the movements of the ideas of spirituality, non-violence and tolerance across the borders especially through the message of Buddhism. It was this historical bond that he sought to revitalise," Mukherjee said.
He said Tagore's attempt to build bridges was however not a mere Utopian dream. "At Viswa-Bharti where he had initiated the study of world cultures, he started the programme for Chinese studies in 1921, with the help of Sylvan Levi, Vidusekhra Sastri and Lin Wo Jiang," he said.
Yesterday, at a function Vice Chancellor of Viswa Bharti Sushanto Dutto gave the President first copy of special edition of Geetanjali published by the press of the University.
