World can take strength from Tagore's message : Patil

She said Tagore felt that just as nature rejuvenated itself constantly, human beings had the capacity to regenerate and to revive.

"It is for this reason that he had an abiding faith in humanity. While speaking of injustices and repression, he saw a possibility of change, as long as human beings did not become entrapped in their prejudices," she said addressing a function at Visva-Bharati University here to mark the 150th anniversary of Tagore.

Tagore understood the importance of new thinking for addressing the various challenges in an ever-evolving world, Patil said.

"Today, even as the world is faced with innumerable challenges we can take strength from his message to face challenges with fortitude, openness of mind and an optimism of spirit," she said.

Observing that Gurudev inspired a whole generation during his lifetime and continued to live in the hearts of millions, Patil said, "The agility with which we respond to new circumstances is a measure of our preparedness for taking advantage of emerging situations."

Patil said that Gurudev always kept human beings at the centre of the Universe.

"It was his belief that if every person strove hard to achieve perfection, there would be great changes in the world.

"He felt that disappointments and setbacks in life were not something that we need to be worried about, but rather take these as opportunities for growth, and for breaking barriers that limit our thinking," she said.

"It is incumbent on us to upkeep and retain Gurudev's legacy that he built at Visva-Bharati," she said.

Tagore, she said, the first Asian recipient of the Nobel Prize was remembered and honoured the world over. "I myself have unveiled his memorial and busts in Bangladesh; Shanghai, China, Seoul, Korea and a Tagore Fair on Indian Studies in Switzerland."
The President also unveiled two sculptures by Ramamchandran and Ramakrishnan, both eminent alumni of Visva-Bharati.

Later she inaugurated a rare exhibition of 38 paintings by Tagore at the Nandan gallery at Uttarayan.

West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan, state Minister of Panchayat and Rural Development Chandranath Singh and university vice-chancellor Devisingh Shekhawat were present.