Belgium’s most prestigious and largest university in the city of Leuven, 26 km from Brussels, has honoured India’s world renowned poet, artist and humanist Rabindranath Tagore by erecting his statue in the university premises.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) presented a sculpture of Tagore to the City of Leuven and India House Leuven. It was erected in the Literary Garden of the Faculty of Arts in the Catholic University of Leuven in an inaugural ceremony to mark Tagore’s birthday on Thursday evening.
Luk Draye, dean of the Faculty of Arts, in his welcome speech described Tagore (1861—1941) “as a freedom fighter and bridge builder between cultures and peoples. And one of India’s most exquisite and versatile artists”.
“We are standing here at a place where Tagore would have felt at home,” he said.
Mohamed Ridouani, alderman of Leuven, said “this bust of Tagore is a symbol in many ways. It is a symbol of friendship between the Leuven community and India”. He noted that India House Leuven was established in 2012 to make the friendship with India and Leuven even stronger. - IANS
