Today is special because many important things happened on May 7 in history. It’s Rabindranath Tagore’s birthday, and it’s also the day the Border Roads Organization (BRO) was founded. Plus, on this day in 2000, Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia for the first time, which was a big deal in world politics. Let’s take a quick look at these important events from the past.

About Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was a polymathic figure in Bengali literature and music, and he’s often considered one of the greatest poets and writers in modern Indian literature. Born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1861, he hailed from a distinguished Bengali Brahmin family and was the youngest of thirteen children.

Tagore’s literary career spanned over six decades, during which he produced an impressive array of works, including poetry, short stories, novels, essays, and plays. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, largely for his collection of poems titled “Gitanjali” (“Song Offerings”). The Nobel Committee noted his “profoundly sensitive, fresh, and beautiful verse” and praised his “deeply sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse”. Tagore’s poetry often touched upon themes of nature, love, spirituality, and the human condition.

Besides his literary pursuits, Tagore was also a social reformer and an educationist. He founded the Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, which became a center for learning and cultural exchange, attracting scholars and students from around the world. His educational philosophy emphasized the holistic development of individuals and the importance of integrating learning with nature and the arts.

Tagore was deeply involved in the Indian nationalist movement, advocating for cultural pride and unity, but he also criticized aspects of nationalism that he felt were divisive or narrow-minded. His legacy continues to inspire generations of writers, artists, and thinkers in India and beyond.