Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet, writer, and philosopher. He was born in Calcutta, India, in 1861. He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. He wrote the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh.

Early Life

Tagore was born into a large, artistic family. He started writing poetry at age eight. He was mostly educated at home. He traveled to England to study law but returned to India to focus on writing.

Big Achievements

Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems called Gitanjali. He wrote thousands of poems, songs, stories, and plays. He composed about 2,230 songs. He also started a famous school called Visva-Bharati University.

Fun Facts

• Tagore wrote the national anthems of two countries: India and Bangladesh.
• He composed over 2,230 songs.
• He started painting at age 67 and became a respected artist.

Did You Know?

Tagore gave up his knighthood to protest a massacre by British soldiers in India in 1919. He believed in Indian independence and used his art to inspire people to fight for freedom.