MUMBAI, 12 MAY, 2023 (GPN): A true disciple of Rabindranath Tagore and a firm believer of Gurudev’s philosophy on various aspects including education and politics, Home Minister Amit Shah sees Rabindranath as his guiding light. 

Shah, a voracious Rabindranath reader, is particularly attracted to Gurudev’s free thought for politics, social life, art, and patriotism is unlike the kind of narrow-mindedness found now. Gurudev’s thoughts guide Shah and he finds inspiration in his thoughts.  

Shah’s respect for Rabindranath, emanating from the writings of the great poet and philosopher, is so much so that he found the word ‘Mahamanav’ was not sufficient to describe the great personality. 

Taking Rabindranath’s thought that emphasised imparting education in the mother’s tongue in the true spirit, it was Shah who emphasised that the National Education Policy (NEP) be modelled on that philosophy of Tagore, essentially to help ignite a child’s capacity of thinking & researching and explore her inner self.  

“Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore always laid great emphasis on education in one’s mother tongue. A child’s capacity for thinking and research is severely restricted if he/she cannot speak in his/her mother tongue. The New Education Policy, formulated under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has taken inspiration from the thoughts of Gurudev and given thrust on education in the mother tongue,” Shah said.

Gurudev believed that glorifying foreign education and universities should not be the goal of our education system. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore put forth this new idea of education as opposed to education by rote learning. These resonate in the NEP.

In Santiniketan, Tagore amalgamated the ancient Indian knowledge system with modern learning techniques. Tagore gave maximum impetus to learning in the mother tongue. He knew one could not explore his inner self without the use of his mother tongue. Shah’s emphasis on education in the mother tongue comes from Tagore’s teachings. 

Shah is amazed to learn how, despite being a son of a Zamindar family of Bengal, Rabindranath could express the thoughts of ideas of common people so eloquently. Rabindranath, Shah believes, was a global personality in a true sense and contributed not just to art in India, but across various disciplines globally.Ends