New Delhi, Feb 18 (UNI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said each region in India has a distinct cultural identity and yet, in its essence, culture does not divide – it unites and harmonises all of the country and all of humanity.
In his address here at a function on the occasion of presentation of Tagore Awards for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, the President said, 'This award is a celebration of Indian traditions of culture and of our civilisational wealth – whether in literature or music, art or drama, sculpture or handicrafts, design or digital art, and so many other modes of creative expression.'
'Each region in our country has a distinct cultural identity. Yet, in its essence, culture does not divide – it unites and harmonises all of India and all of humanity,' he said.
The President said this award was instituted seven years ago in recognition of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s contribution and understanding of the role of culture in enriching the human spirit – and in commemoration of his 150th birth anniversary.
'Gurudev was a remarkable genius. When he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913, he became the first Asian Nobel laureate. However, he was more than just a writer – he was a musician, artist, educationist and spiritual scholar of rare sensitivity. He is remembered every day as the poet who gave India its national anthem. And he remains one of our foremost cultural icons,' Mr Kovind said.
'When I say “our”, I don’t mean just India – for Gurudev belongs to the world. He was a nationalist and an internationalist, a child of Ma Bharati and an advocate of Vishvabharati. That is why it is appropriate that this Award is open to all –irrespective of nationality and religion, language and ethnicity. It is open to all individuals and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to cultural harmony on our shared planet,' the President said.
The President said going through the profiles of the three Award winners of this morning, he was struck by the body of their work and their efforts to use culture to further the integration of human society.
Mr Kovind said he was also struck by the coincidence of their work and that of Tagore.
'The award winner for 2014, Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, is one of our greatest exponents of Manipuri dance. He has bridged this age-old art form of Manipur with not only modern sensibilities but with other parts of the country. Over 50 years ago, he stunned the world of culture by presenting Manipuri in ballet form, with the production of the dance drama “Babhruvahan”, named after the legendary king of Manipur.
It is worth noting that one of Tagore’s most famous creations was the dance drama “Chitrangada” – based on the warrior-princess of Manipur, the wife of Arjuna in the Mahabharata and the mother of Babhruvahan,' the President said.
He said the award winner for 2015 is Chhayanaut, an organisation that has promoted and preserved the works and philosophy of Tagore in Bangladesh.
'The common cultures of Bangladesh and India, in West Bengal and beyond, forge a bond across boundaries. Just as Tagore’s poetry inspires Indians, it inspires the people of Bangladesh. He is the author of the national anthems of both our countries,' the President said.
Mr Kovind said the cooperation between India and Bangladesh in recent years, in connectivity and developmental projects and, of course, in people-to-people engagement is blessed by the ethos
of Gurudev.
'Commerce and diplomacy are travelling hand in hand with culture. This is true for Bangladesh and India; and I would say this sets an example for our entire subcontinent,' he said.
Mr Kovind said, 'the final award winner today is Ram Vanji Sutar, a sculptor and scholar who represents an art tradition that goes back thousands of years to our ancient past. These days he is most well-known for the Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue.'
'This is a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who played such a critical role in unifying our young nation just after Independence. About two months ago, I visited the Statue of Unity, overlooking the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat, and was left very impressed. I must compliment our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for conceptualising and completing the Statue of Unity project,' he said.
The President said, 'an earlier encounter with Sutarji’s work was when I was a Member of Parliament and used to pass by and appreciate his statue of Mahatma Gandhi outside Parliament. That statue, capturing Gandhiji in a meditative pose, has become a signature representation of not just the Father of the Nation but also of Gandhian philosophy. It is a happy coincidence that we are celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji this year – and we also recall that it was Gurudev who was the first to call him 'Mahatma' or Great Soul.'
Earlier in his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said culture is the oxygen of any nation and this gives strength to the identity and existence of the nation.
'Respect of any nation and its age is also determined by the maturity of culture and cultural roots,' Mr Modi said at a function of Tagore Awards for Cultural Harmony for the Years 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Remembering Tagore, Mr Modi said, 'Gurudev was devoted to nature and humanity and he considered the whole world as his home, so the world also gave him due respect. Even today, the story of 'Kabuliwala' is on the tongue of the Afghani people.
The Prime Minister said Gurudev's composition 'Amar Sonar Bangla' is the identity of Bangladesh and it is their national anthem.
Mr Kovind, presented the Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony for the years 2014, 2015 and 2016 to Rajkumar Singhajit Singh, Chhayanaut (a cultural organisation of Bangladesh) and Ram Vanji Sutar respectively.
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion was Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Culture, Mahesh Sharma.
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