Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore changed the mindset of India and encouraged Indians to educate their children, India''s Minister for Culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch has said.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Tagore Centre for Global Thought at King''s College last night, Katoch described Tagore as an icon, a great thinker, author, poet and visionary “who changed the mindset of India”.
“He was a great educationist who encouraged the people of India to educate their children”, said the Minister, currently on a three-day visit here.
Katoch said that the three great leaders of that time -- Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore -- along with Swami Vivekananda played a major part in achieving the independence of India.
India has committed to fund USD 452,610 (300,000 British pounds) for the Tagore Centre for three years and has already released USD 150,870 (100,000 British pounds) for this year, she said.
Set up as part of the Tagore Commemoration celebrating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Tagore, the Centre aims at enhancing Tagore-related, academic intellectual and philosophic work globally, according to a statement released by the Ministry.
Sunil Khilnani, Director of King''s College India Institute said the Centre is a partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and its activities will focus on India''s intellectual traditions and their relationship to and implications for contemporary global issues and debates.
The Centre plans to engage with the academia as well as the wider public through a series of events including the annual Tagore distinguished lectures.
It will also offer Tagore Visiting Fellowships and Doctoral Scholarships to exceptional candidates from India.
Secretary General of Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK Virendra Paul and eminent Editor N Ravi were among those present on the occasion.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Tagore Centre for Global Thought at King''s College last night, Katoch described Tagore as an icon, a great thinker, author, poet and visionary “who changed the mindset of India”.
“He was a great educationist who encouraged the people of India to educate their children”, said the Minister, currently on a three-day visit here.
Katoch said that the three great leaders of that time -- Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Rabindranath Tagore -- along with Swami Vivekananda played a major part in achieving the independence of India.
India has committed to fund USD 452,610 (300,000 British pounds) for the Tagore Centre for three years and has already released USD 150,870 (100,000 British pounds) for this year, she said.
Set up as part of the Tagore Commemoration celebrating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Tagore, the Centre aims at enhancing Tagore-related, academic intellectual and philosophic work globally, according to a statement released by the Ministry.
Sunil Khilnani, Director of King''s College India Institute said the Centre is a partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Government of India and its activities will focus on India''s intellectual traditions and their relationship to and implications for contemporary global issues and debates.
The Centre plans to engage with the academia as well as the wider public through a series of events including the annual Tagore distinguished lectures.
It will also offer Tagore Visiting Fellowships and Doctoral Scholarships to exceptional candidates from India.
Secretary General of Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma, Deputy High Commissioner of India to the UK Virendra Paul and eminent Editor N Ravi were among those present on the occasion.
