Tagore Life of Learning

Tagore - A Life Of Learning
An Azim Premji University Publication

People and Ideas

Azim Premji University

Text: Selections from Tagore’s own writings ( original and translations) Concept and Design: Jayshree Nair-Misra, Azim Premji University Illustrations: Biswajith Manimaran, Srishti School of Design, Bangalore.

Published by Azim Premji University 2012 Printed by SCPL DESIGN, 2nd Flr | 2/1 JC Indl Area Kanakapura Road, Bangalore - 560 062, India

Tagore - A Life of Learning
Azim Premji University Publication

“In our childhood, we would read every available book from one end to the other. Both what we understood and what we did not, went on working within us.“ - Rabindranath Tagore
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On The Seashore

“On the seashore of endless worlds children meet. The infinite sky is motionless overhead and the restless water is boisterous. On the seashore of endless worlds the children meet with shouts and dances. They build their houses with sand and they play with empty shells. With withered leaves they weave their boats and smilingly float them on the vast deep. Children have their play on the seashore of worlds.“
- Rabindranath Tagore

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Foreword
The ‘People and Ideas’ initiative of Azim Premji University, is an attempt to explore the ideas, lives and works of the many social reformers, artists, scientists, philosophers and educationists who have influenced us deeply. During this process we hope to develop a platform to understand, engage with and discuss the ideas that have fundamentally shaped our vision and philosophy. We begin this series with a graphic novel on Rabindranath Tagore’s ideas and philosophy of education. Tagore expresses in all his writings, that he experienced no joy while being taught by a series of teachers, or shifting from one conventional school to another. His approach to teaching grew from his life experiences. The school he set up in Santiniketan was ‘conceived to free the students’ minds and lead them to

Bibliography: 1. Uma Das Gupta, ed., Rabindranath Tagore - My Life In My Words. Published by Penguin India, 2006. 2. Uma Das Gupta, ed., The Oxford India Tagore: Selected Writings on Education and Nationalism. Published by Oxford University Press, 2009. 3. WW Pearson, Santiniketan. Published by Macmillan,1916. 4. Leonard Elmhirst, The Poet and The Plowman. Published by Visva-Bharati Publishing Department, 1975. 5. K. M. O’Connell, (2003) ‘Rabindranath Tagore on education’, The Encyclopaedia of Informal Education, URL: http://www.infed.org/thinkers/tagore.htm. 6. Amartya Sen, The Argumentative Indian. Published by Penguin, 2005. 7. Dilip Basu, Biography of Satyajit Ray (1921-1992). URL: http://satyajitray.ucsc.edu/ biography.html. 8. Amartya Sen, Tagore and His India - Nobelprize.org. 2 Nov 2011 URL: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/ literature/laureates/1913/ tagore-article.html. 78 Azim Premji University Azim Premji University has a clear social purpose – to make significant contributions towards a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. The University aspires to do this through the development of talent and the creation of knowledge which can facilitate significant improvements in education and allied development areas. The roots of Azim Premji University lie in the learning and experience of a decade of work in elementary education by Azim Premji Foundation. The University is one of the Foundation’s key responses to the constraints and challenges confronting the education and development sectors in India. Azim Premji Foundation Azim Premji Foundation is a not for profit organization working towards deep, large scale and institutionalized impact on the quality and equity of education in India, along with related development areas (e.g. health, nutrition, governance and environment). The Foundation has established permanent institutions that work towards improvements in education and allied developmental areas at multiple levels, in an integrated manner. The ‘People and Ideas’ initiative of Azim Premji University, is an attempt to explore the ideas, lives and works of the many social reformers, artists, scientists, philosophers and educationists who have influenced us deeply. During this process we hope to develop a platform to understand, engage with and discuss the ideas that have fundamentally shaped our vision and philosophy. We begin this series with a graphic novel on Rabindranath Tagore’s ideas and philosophy of education. Tagore is an educator for all times and his ideas are as relevant today, as they were when he lived. Azim Premji University Pixel Park, B Block, PESSE Campus, Electronics City, Hosur Road Beside NICE Road, Bangalore 560100 http://www.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/