Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s vision is the essence of Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative: Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s vision is the essence of Atmanirbhar Bharat, which is the path of India’s welfare for world welfare.

Addressing the centenary celebrations of the Vishwa-Bharati University in Shantiniketan through video conferencing, Prime Minister Modi said Gurudev wanted that the world should benefit from what is best in India and it should also learn from what is good in the world.

The Prime Minister is the Chancellor of the University. He said, India is spreading message emanating from Vishwa-Bharati to the whole world. He said, Vishwa Bharati showed us, how to live and learn with nature. He said India is the only major country which is moving in right direction to achieve environmental targets set under the Paris Agreement. He asserted that India is also leading the world in environmental protection through International Solar Alliance.

Remembering the heritage of Bhakti movement in Bengal, Shri Narendra Modi said, with bhakti and freedom movement, Gurudev Tagore’s Viswa Bharati added new energy in knowledge movement of India. PM Modi also mentioned several Bengali freedom fighters’ supreme sacrifice. He said, Gurudev saw Viswa Bharati as a place of learning and wanted to connect knowledge with living.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of Atmanirbhar Bharat and how students of University should utilise social media to help local artists in selling their products and thus achieve goal of Vocal For Local.

Quoting Rabindranath’s poems one after another, Shri Narendra Modi said, the idea of self-reliant India can be felt in his thought of nationalism. Mentioning Tagore’s visit to Gujrat & his literary creation there, Shri Narendra Modi said, it should be seen as an example of Ek Bharat Shresht Bharat. He concluded his virtual speech with Tagore’s poem, “o-re grihobasi, khol dwar khol” asking the students of Vishwa Bharati to open the doors of new possibilities and carry forward Gurudev’s idea of knowledge & philosophy of life.