WHAT a remarkable literary figure the Noble Laureate Rabindranath Tagore was!
Born into the British Raj, the Bengali Indian poet, writer, artist, educator, humanist and patriot Tagore was to become the first non-European Noble Laureate in 1913 and also the first from Asia.
Remarkably, the words to two of his many songs from the national anthems of India and Bangladesh. In my youth his fame had speared as far as NSW primary schools, where his poems were learnt by heart.
Now in a move designed to recognise Tagore’s 155th birth anniversary and his contributions towards world literature, art, education and multiculturalism, the Bengali Cultural Association (Canberra) has commissioned a bronze bust of Tagore from Indian sculptor L. Rathakrishnan of Erode, Tamil Nadu. A celebrated master of wax moulding and casting, he was born into a Viswakarma family of sculptors and stated studying the art at the age of 12.
According to Dr Debashish Raha, president of the Bengali Cultural Association, bronze busts have so far been installed at 27 major world cities like New York, London, Paris and Tokyo as part of the Tagore celebrations, but not before this in Australia.
The sculpture will be unveiled by Yvette Berry, MLA, ACT Multicultural and Youth Affairs Minister, with two Nobel Laureates, ambassadors of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and leaders from Australia, and more than 35 Asian, African, Australian, European and American communities.
The Bengali Cultural Association has plans to further recognise Tagore’s contributions by also hosting a Tagore International Multicultural Showcase, to be presented by 60 performing artists of Africa, China, South America, Bangladesh, Nepal and Indian and to honour five distinguished Canberra personalities for their exceptional contributions to Australian Public life.
Noble Laureate Tagore’s bronze bust unveiling ceremony, at the Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre, opposite the ACT Legislative Assembly, 5pm, on Saturday, May 7, all welcome.
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