Srisurang Poolthupya
Fellow of the Royal Institute, Academy of Arts
Abstract
Rabindranath Tagoreûs winning the Nobel Prize in literature in 1913 boosted the morale and spirit of Asian races in the early 20th Century. Tagore’s creative achievements and contributions to the world, and Thailand in particular, will be discussed in the fields of literature, education, religious philosophy, and women’s emancipation. His literary works appeal to the people internationally due to his spirituality, cosmopolitanism and universality. His words remain meaningful through translations into various languages. When requested by the Thai intelligentsia to send an Indian scholar to promote understanding between Thailand and India, he soon sent Swami Satyananda Puri, who promoted the cultural activities between Thais and Indians by setting up an association of Thais and Indians in Thailand, now known as the Thai-Bharat Cultural Lodge.
Key words: Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali, cosmopolitanism, Swami Satyananda Puri