Rabindranath Tagore was a poet, writer, composer, philosopher, and artist who reshaped Bengali and Indian literature. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913).
Early Life and Education
- Born: 7 May 1861 in Jorasanko, Kolkata (then Calcutta).
- Family: Belonged to an affluent and cultural Brahmo Samaj family.
- Father: Debendranath Tagore (leader of Brahmo Samaj).
- Mother: Sarada Devi.
- Early education: Homeschooled; later studied in England at University College London but returned without completing a degree.
Contributions to Literature and Art
- Wrote in Bengali but translated many works into English.
- His famous literary works include:
- Gitanjali (Song Offerings) – Nobel Prize-winning collection of poems.
- Gora – A novel on nationalism and identity.
- Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) – A political novel.
- Kabuliwala – A famous short story.
- Chokher Bali – A novel on widowhood and social issues.
- He also wrote songs and poems, including:
- Jana Gana Mana (Adopted as India’s National Anthem).
- Amar Sonar Bangla (Adopted as Bangladesh’s National Anthem).
- Composed 2200+ songs, known as Rabindra Sangeet.
Nobel Prize and International Influence
- 1913: Won the Nobel Prize in Literature for Gitanjali.
- First Asian to receive a Nobel Prize.
- He translated his works into English, which brought international fame.
- Knighted by the British in 1915 but renounced the title in 1919 to protest the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Political Views and Social Reform
- Supported Indian independence but was against extreme nationalism.
- Advocated education, rural upliftment, and unity.
- Founded Visva-Bharati University in 1921 at Santiniketan (West Bengal), promoting global culture and education.
Death
- Died on 7 August 1941 in Kolkata.
MCQs on Rabindranath Tagore
1. When was Rabindranath Tagore born?
a) 15 August 1871
b) 7 May 1861
c) 12 January 1863
d) 2 October 1869
Answer: (b) 7 May 1861
2. Which book won Rabindranath Tagore the Nobel Prize?
a) Gora
b) Gitanjali
c) Chokher Bali
d) Kabuliwala
Answer: (b) Gitanjali
3. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood due to which incident?
a) Simon Commission
b) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
c) Partition of Bengal
d) Salt March
Answer: (b) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
4. Which university was founded by Rabindranath Tagore?
a) Banaras Hindu University
b) Jadavpur University
c) Visva-Bharati University
d) Aligarh Muslim University
Answer: (c) Visva-Bharati University
5. The national anthem of which country was written by Rabindranath Tagore?
a) India
b) Bangladesh
c) Both India and Bangladesh
d) Pakistan
Answer: (c) Both India and Bangladesh
6. In which year did Tagore win the Nobel Prize for Literature?
a) 1905
b) 1913
c) 1921
d) 1931
Answer: (b) 1913
7. What was Rabindranath Tagore’s father’s name?
a) Debendranath Tagore
b) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
c) Raja Ram Mohan Roy
d) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Answer: (a) Debendranath Tagore
8. Which of the following is NOT written by Rabindranath Tagore?
a) Gitanjali
b) Meghdoot
c) Chokher Bali
d) Kabuliwala
Answer: (b) Meghdoot
9. Rabindranath Tagore was the first Asian to receive the Nobel Prize in which category?
a) Physics
b) Peace
c) Literature
d) Economics
Answer: (c) Literature
10. Which poetic style is closely associated with Rabindranath Tagore?
a) Ghazal
b) Rubaiyat
c) Rabindra Sangeet
d) Bhakti poetry
Answer: (c) Rabindra Sangeet
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