Ambassador’s Speeches
Tagore Jayanti
Remarks by Ambassador Abhay Thakur on Tagore Jayanti
and Jayatu Bharatam Lecture Series
(SVCC, 23 May 2025, 1630 hrs)
Representatives of Tagore Society Myanmar Mr. T.K. Paul and Mrs. Aalo Dass and Members of the Tagore Society,
Head of the All-Myanmar Hindu Central Council Mr. Marimuthu,
Pracharak Sanatan Dharma Swamsevak Sangh and Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awardee Dr. Ram Niwas,
Representatives of the Myanmar-India Friendship Society,
Community leaders, heads of organizations, esteemed guests,
My colleague officers from the Mission,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Namaste! Mingalaba! and a very good evening.
I am delighted to meet and address this distinguished gathering today for the first Inaugural session of our "Jayatu Bharatam Lecture Series", being organized on the occasion of the Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti or the 164th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore earlier this month. The Jayatu Bharatam lecture series follows our successful Ramayan Vyakhyanmala series last year, under which five lectures were held in different cities – two in Yangon and one each in Mandalay, Zeyawaddy and Kyauktaga. I understand the Jayatu Bharatam lecuture series will similarly be held in different cities like Zeyawaddy, Kyauktaga and Mawlamyein, in addition to Yangon.
Today is not only a day for us to remember Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. It is an opportunity to connect at a deeper, spiritual level and delve into vast ocean of thoughts and values that Gurudev gifted to the world through his poetry, music and philosophy.
Friends,
Rabindranath Tagore was far more than a poet. He was a visionary who believed in the power of culture to bring people together. His work and fame spread all over the world. He was the first Nobel laureate from Asia. Gurudev visited Rangoon three times - in 1916, 1924 and 1927. His visit was not just a formal visit, it was an attempt to foster deeper cultural and spiritual dialogue between India and Myanmar.
His visit created an emotional bond with the people of Myanmar, especially the followers of Lord Buddha, which is still alive today. In his speeches, he underlined that ancient civilizations like India and Myanmar are deeply connected to each other in their souls. India and Myanmar are not only geographical neighbours, connected by deep civilizational ties and bonds of kinship, but are soulmates, standing by each other at all times.
Friends,
What makes Tagore even more special is the impact he had beyond literature. He deeply believed in the power of education, and was also a strong votary of humanism, the idea that every person has the potential for greatness and that we should treat each other with love and respect. Today’s global ideas of human-centric growth and sustainable development have Gurudev’s teachings at their root.
Many of his poems and essays were translated into Burmese, and his thoughts resonated with Burmese intellectuals. His poem 'Gitanjali', for which he received the Nobel Prize, became the voice of the soul of India. Its echo is still heard in Yangon to this day. The spirit of compassion and living in harmony with nature, vividly seen in Tagore's philosophy, bears great similarity with the value systems and cultural consciousness of Myanmar.
Friends,
Last month Myanmar endured the devastating impact of a major earthquake of 7.7 magnitude, the most powerful in the country since Myanmar gained independence. Thousands died and millions were impacted. In such testing moments, we also saw the pervasive spirit of humanity across all affected areas of Myanmar. The Government of India was the first responder, stepping in with significant relief supplies and rescue and medical teams brought in by air and by sea. The Indian origin community and its vast network played an important role in reaching out to the needy with compassion and speed. From traveling long distances to distribute aid, to cooking warm meals for the hungry, their acts of kindness became a living tribute to Tagore’s vision of universal humanism.
Today’s event once again highlights that cultural ties between India and Myanmar are not only historical and age-old, but also vibrant and contemporary. Moroever, through these events, we not only celebrate our shared heritage with Myanmar, but we also strengthen our connect with our vibrant diaspora.
Friends,
In his poems, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore made extensive use of nature – trees, clouds, hills, flowers and so on. So today on this occasion, and in conclusion, let me recall his majestic use of the morning dawn and the darkness just before dawn to express hope and faith, and I quote “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.” The bird sings before dawn comes, when it is still dark, it feels the dawn. So as we navigage today’s complex world, let us learn from Tagore’s poems and be the bird full of hope of the coming dawn, and believe that hope can exist and thrive even when things seem bleak, before light comes and before success, solutions and better times are more clearly visible.
I once again thank the organizers, and hope that this lecture series will further strengthen the bridge of knowledge, harmony and culture between the two countries.
Thank you.
*****
