The 84th death anniversary of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore is being observed across Bangladesh on Tuesday (Aug 7), as people pay homage to the iconic literary figure affectionately known as the Kobiguru or Biswakobi (World Poet).
Tagore passed away on August 7, 1941, at the age of 80, according to the Gregorian calendar. However, the occasion is traditionally commemorated on the 22nd of Srabon in the Bengali calendar, which falls on Wednesday this year.
Governmental and non-governmental organisations alike are holding commemorative events to honour Tagore’s life and legacy. These include musical performances, poetry recitations, and discussions reflecting on his vast contributions to literature, music, and culture.
Leading cultural organisation Chhayanaut hosted a tribute programme on Wednesday morning at its auditorium in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. On Thursday (Aug 8), Bangla Academy is scheduled to organise a seminar and cultural event at 4:00 pm in the Kobi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Room on its premises.
In addition, state-run and private television channels, including Bangladesh Television (BTV), are airing special programmes to celebrate the enduring impact of Tagore’s works.
Born on May 7, 1861 (25th Baishakh, 1268 in the Bengali calendar) in Jorasanko, Kolkata, Tagore was the youngest of 13 surviving children of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. Over a literary career spanning nearly seven decades, he produced an extraordinary body of work that included over 2,000 songs—collectively known as Rabindra Sangeet—eight novels, 84 short stories, numerous plays, essays, and countless poems.
In 1921, he established Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan, envisioning it as a hub for international learning grounded in Indian culture and philosophy.
Tagore made history in 1913 by becoming the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, awarded for his English translation of Gitanjali (Song Offerings). His legacy also lives on through his compositions that became the national anthems of two nations—Amar Shonar Bangla for Bangladesh and Jana Gana Mana for India.
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