Srilankan National Anthem had Tagore's inspiration !!!

Lucknow: As May 7 marks the 155 birth anniversary of the father of the Indian National Anthem and Nobel prize winner, Rabindra Nath Tagore, newztrack.com pays tribute to the poet who reshaped the Bengali literature and culture.

Here are some lesser known facts about the 'Gurudev':

• We all are aware that Rabindranath Tagore wrote the National Anthem of India. But not many are aware that his song ‘Amar Sonar Bangla’ was adopted as the National Anthem of Bangladesh, but not may of us are aware of the fact that the lyrics of Sri Lanka’s National Anthem were also given by him.

• Disappointed by the idea of regular classroom schooling, Rabindranath Tagore laid the foundation of Visva-Bharati University in 1918 that was funded by his Nobel Prize money. The gurus were the mentors and of the students in true spirit which offered them emotional, spiritual and intellectual guidance individually.

• Tagore was knighted by the British Government in 1915; however, as a protest against the British policies in colonial India, he gave up the knighthood.

• Even though the nobwas an extremely close friend of Mahatama Gandhi, there are several known disagreements between the two on different issues including nationalism, cultural exchange, economy, patriotism etc.
• Rabindranath Tagore introduced the best of Indian culture to more than 30 countries while touring five continents.

• Tagore was the first non-European to be awarded with the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
• Rabindranath Tagore in his visit to the Chennai in 1934, then Madras took a firm stand in favour of educating regional languages.
• Tagore had five kids, two of whom died in their childhood.

• The Nobel Prize of Tagore was stolen from the safety vault of the university in 2004. Swedish Academy, as a replacement offered two replicas of the same to the university.
• Rabindranath Tagore was nicknamed ‘Rabi’ in his family and was youngest of the 13 surviving children. He was majorly raised by servants as his mother died while he was too young and his father was a frequent traveler.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid homage to Tagore on Twitter:

I bow to Gurudev Tagore on his birth anniversary. He was a versatile personality whose profound thoughts & writings continue to inspire.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) 7 May 2016