Consider the following statements regarding Rabindranath Tagore: He wa...
Background:
Rabindranath Tagore was a renowned poet, philosopher, musician, and artist from India. He was born on May 7, 1861, in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, and died on August 7, 1941. Tagore played a significant role in shaping Bengali literature and cultural revival during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Let's analyze the given statements to determine their correctness.
Statement 1: He was the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.
This statement is correct. Rabindranath Tagore was indeed the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. He received this prestigious recognition in 1913 for his collection of poems called "Gitanjali" (Song Offerings). The Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to an author, regardless of nationality, who has produced an outstanding literary work in the field of literature.
Statement 2: He was the son of Satyendranath Tagore, a prominent social reformer.
This statement is incorrect. Satyendranath Tagore was not the father of Rabindranath Tagore. Rabindranath Tagore's father was Debendranath Tagore, who was a philosopher and religious reformer. He played a crucial role in the Brahmo Samaj movement, which sought to reform Hindu society in the 19th century. Satyendranath Tagore, on the other hand, was Rabindranath Tagore's brother and a prominent civil servant.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, statement 1 is correct as Rabindranath Tagore was the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. However, statement 2 is incorrect as Satyendranath Tagore was not his father but his brother. Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A': 1 only.
Consider the following statements regarding Rabindranath Tagore: He wa...
Prime Minister recently paid tributes to Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his birth anniversary.
About Rabindranath Tagore:
- He was a world-renowned poet, litterateur, philosopher and Asia’s first Nobel laureate.
- He was born in Kolkata on May 7, 1861.
- He was the son of Debendranath Tagore, a prominent philosopher and religious reformer.
- He was popularly known as Bard of Bengal, and people used to call him Gurudev.
- He introduced new prose and verse forms and the use of colloquial language into Bengali literature, thereby freeing it from traditional models based on classical Sanskrit.
- He was highly influential in introducing Indian culture to the West and vice versa.
- In 1913 he became the first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.
- He was also an influential artist and musician. He wrote around 2230 songs and painted 3000 paintings. His songs are known as Rabindra Sangeet.
- Rabindranath Tagore wrote India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana. He also wrote Amar Sonar Bangla, the national anthem for Bangladesh. The Sri Lankan national anthem was inspired by his work.
- He was awarded a knighthood in 1915, but he repudiated it in 1919 as a protest against the Amritsar (Jallianwalla Bagh) Massacre.
- Viswa Bharti University, which was known as Shantiniketan founded by Rabindranath Tagore.
- Major Works:
- Tagore’s most notable work of poetry is Gitanjali: Song Offerings, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
- Other notable poetry publications include Sonar Tari and Manasi.
- He wrote novels, plays, and short stories in both languages, including the plays Chitra and The Post Office.
- He is credited with pioneering the short story form in Bengali literature, with some of his best work collected in The Hungry Stones and Other Stories and The Glimpses of Bengal Life.
Hence only statement 1 is correct.
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