Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday emphasised that Visva-Bharati embodied Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s vision for the country. The university was also an essence of “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India), he noted.
Mr. Modi was participating in Visva-Bharati’s centenary celebrations via videoconferencing.
He said the institution had been venerable source of energy for the country for the past 100 years. “100 years of Visva-Bharati is a matter of pride to every Indian. The journey of Visva-Bharati is unique as it reflects the ideas, philosophy efforts of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore for the future of the country. This place is source of constant energy to the country which has given artists, musicians, economist and scientists to the country.”
The university was set up by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1921 at Bolpur in West Bengal’s Birbhum district.
Message to world
Mr Modi reflected on how the university was a seat of learning and living in the lap of nature. The country was taking the message of Visva-Bharati to the world, he stated.
“Through International Solar Alliance, the country is playing an important part in conservation of environment. India is the only big country working in the right direction for achieving the targets of Paris Accord,” he said.
The Prime Minister also touched on the historical context in which the university was founded. “When we talk about freedom struggle, the 19th and 20th century comes to our mind. But it is also a fact that the foundation of such movements was kept centuries ago,” he said, referring to ‘Bhakti’ movement that was spread across the country.
“The tradition of ‘Bhakti’ played a crucial part in the ideas that laid the foundation of these ideas that helped in the freedom struggle. In the ‘Bhakti’ period, these reformers gave the ideas that were not limited to a region. It gave a collective insight and self-reliance to people,” he pointed out.
‘Bhakti’ tradition
Along with the ‘Bhakti’ tradition, there was also a movement where people led “karm andolan,’ a movement based on active action where, for centuries, people of the country fought against oppression and for independence. He referred to Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Birsa Munda as glowing examples of the tradition.
At the same time, a number of educational institutions, including the Benaras Hindu University, the Aligarh Muslim University and several other varsities, came up across the country. It was the collective of the three movements that led to the Freedom struggle and national awakening.
Touching on the Gurudev’s ideas of “self-reliance”, he said: “Tagore wanted to see our villages, atmanirbhar (self-reliant), our agriculture atmanirbhar, our art and literature atmanirbhar and also our businesses atmanirbhar”.
“Gurudev spoke about self-empowerment (atmashakti) in self-reliance (atmanirbhar). The university is called Visva-Bharati, which brings a synergy between country and the rest of the world. Atmanirbhar Bharat also draws its inspiration from here,” he asserted.
The university did not organise ‘Poush Mela’ because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he pointed out and called upon students of Visva-Bharati to help the artisans, who could not sell their products, using digital means.
National Education Policy
Mr. Modi touched upon the new National Education Policy, saying it drew its inspiration from Gurudev’s ideas of holistic learning. “Today the country is trying to implement a new education policy. Visva-Bharati has an experience of working in this for 100 years.” More and more institutions should collaborate with the institution, he urged.
“In 2022, we are going to celebrate 75 years of the country’s Independence,” the Prime Minister said, quoting lines from Tagore’s song “Ore grihobasi khol dar khol, Laglo je dol [Oh householder, open your doors, spring (holi) has come)”. Doors of new opportunities and possibility were awaiting the countrymen, he added.