Rathindranath
Tagore nicknamed Rathi, the eldest son and second child of Rabindranath Tagore
was born on 27 November 1888. He was a multi talented person being an
agriculturist, architect, writer, painter,carpenter, and also a genetics
teacher at the renowned Visva-Bharati University. He also became the Vice
Chancellor of the same University after it became a Central University.
Rathindranath,
first lived in Kolkata, however in 1889, his dad Rabindranath took his family
to Sholapur, as Rabindranath went ahead to Shelaidah for zamindari work. At
first Rathi was educated by home tutors however in 1901, Rabindranath began a
school in Santiniketan, where Rathindranath completed his further schhol
studies. The Visva-Bharati website claims: “Rathindranath was not only one of
the first five boys of the Santiniketan Brahmacharyasrama, he was also one of
the reasons for its existence.”
In
1902, Rathindranath's mother passed away; just nine month later his sister
Rani; and in 1907 his younger brother Samindranath also passed away. His
teachers at Santiniketan helped Rathindranath to continue for his higher
studies. Rabindranath wished to send Rathi abroad to study a technical subject,
as he trusted that he would then teach this subject at Visva-Bharati. After he
completed his matriculation in 1906, Rathi was sent to the University of
Illinois to study Agriculture and where he was instrumental in beginning the
now well known Cosmopolitan Club. After
Rathindranath got his Bachelor degree in agriculture, he headed out to Europe.
He went to London and after that he went to study at Goettingen University, Germany.
On
his return his dad took him to his estates in Shelaidah to make him the new
Zamindar. Rathindranath attempted to show the new cultivating techniques he had
learnt in America to the neighborhood laborers (e.g. experimential cultivating,
new harvests, little lab) and furthermore attempted to present techniques for
self-government as Rabindranath made it the principle assignment of his child
to build up the monetary state of the oppressed of Indian society.
On
27th January 1910, Rathindranath (21) was married to Pratima Devi (16) who was
married before at her eleven years of age, but she was widowed 2 months after
her marriage. This was the first in the Tagore family supporting widow
remarriage.
Rathindranath
spent his 40years serving Shantiniketan and Visva-bharati. He taught genetics
in Santiniketan and was praised for making the subject interesting among his
students. He had huge contributions to Santiniketan and without his dynamic
support; the Tagore archives and memorial would never been existed. He made
huge financial contributions to Visva-Bharati and spent percentage of his
income to Rabindra-Bharati.
At
65, Rathindranath resigned from his post as vice-chancellor and left his wife
Pratima, adopted daughter Nandita and his home in Santiniketan to live in
Dehradun. It was here that Rathindranath fabricated Mitali, a house that
replicated his home in Santiniketan. Rathindranath tried to build something
like Santiniketan in Dehradun. There he died at the age of 73 in June of 1961.
By: Purnajyoti Khanra
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