Tagore was a renaissance personality: President on Rabindranath Tagore's birthday

On the occasion of the birthday of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday said the latter was a renaissance personality, and added that he will always remain a inspiration for humanity.

"On the occasion of the birthday of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, I join fellow citizens in paying tribute to this great nationalist and thinker who was far ahead of his times. Tagore was a renaissance personality. Such souls not only illuminate the times they live in, but also remain an inspiration for humanity," said Mukherjee in his message.

"A revered poet, writer, painter, author of our national anthem, and Asia's first Nobel Laureate in the field of literature, Tagore was a global citizen who believed that one could promote one's own culture while appreciating the culture of others," he added.

Mukherjee also said that Tagore never saw any contradiction between respect for universal values, while maintaining one's own.

"The significance of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's philosophy of harmony, peace, love and good-will and his vision of "One World" remain relevant today - despite the passage of time. One of the most outstanding creative geniuses of modern India, Tagore's legacy will always endure," he further said.