Rabindranath Tagore: First Non-European Nobel Laureate in Literature

• Rabindranath Tagore, a towering figure in Indian literature, became the first non-European and first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in 1913.
• He received the Nobel Prize in Literature for his collection of poems, "Gitanjali" (Song Offerings), recognized for its profoundly sensitive and beautiful verse.
• Tagore, who had no formal education background, was born in Calcutta in 1861 and was largely homeschooled, later briefly studying in England.
• His extensive literary works include poetry, songs, short stories, novels, plays, and essays, primarily written in Bengali, with English translations gaining global recognition.
• Tagore established an experimental school at Shantiniketan in 1901, returned his knighthood in protest of British actions, and maintained a close bond with Mahatma Gandhi.

Why It Matters: Rabindranath Tagore, a self-taught literary genius, made history as the first non-European Nobel laureate.