Latest news with #Tagore
India Gazette
9 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Symptom of national crisis: Congress leader Manickam Tagore on Noida old-age home case
New Delhi [India], June 29 (ANI): Congress leader Manickam Tagore on Sunday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government, citing the case of 42 elderly citizens being rescued from an 'illegal' old-age home in Noida. In a detailed 'X' post, Manickam Tagore termed it as a 'symptom' of a 'national' crisis and mentioned that it is not an 'isolated' case. 'Noida: 42 elderly citizens were rescued from an illegal old-age home. They were found tied up, half-naked, confined in basement-like rooms. This is not an isolated case. This is a symptom of a national crisis,' Manickam Tagore's 'X' post read. The Congress leaders asserted that the case came to light following the raid by the state Women's Commission, which held the Union Government accountable, questioning how many other 'elderly citizens' are locked behind the 'unregulated' walls. 'This horror was uncovered only because of a State Women's Commission raid. How many more elderly citizens are suffering in silence, locked away behind unregulated walls? Where is the Union Government?', Tagore's 'X' post said. Informing that India has only 1,000 registered old-age homes, out of which very few are regulated. Manickam Tagore termed it as a 'disaster in the making' in a country with a population of 153 million elderly people. He further criticised the Union Government for not conducting a thorough audit of the old-age homes and for failing to establish any accountability in the matter. 'India has only 1,000 registered old-age homes, mostly run by NGOs. Very few are regulated. In a country of 153 million elderly people, this is a disaster in the making. And yet, the Central Government stays silent. No national audit. No accountability. No policy response', the 'X' post added. The Congress leader revealed that by 2050, India's population will have surpassed 319 million people, with a significant proportion exceeding the age of 60 years. While India is adding 10 million elderly people every year, Manickam Tagore believes it is 'today's emergency'. 'India is ageing FAST. By 2050, 319 million Indians will be 60+ -- that's 1 in every 5 Indians. We're adding 10 million senior citizens every year. This is not tomorrow's crisis. It's today's emergency. Yet we spend less than 10,000 crore on all social pensions for elderly, widows, and the disabled. That's about 800/month per person under the Indira Gandhi National Old-Age Pension Scheme. Is that enough for medicine, food, rent, dignity?', Manickam Tagore said in his 'X' post. The Congress leader stated that the Union Government 'slashed' Rs 200 crore from the National Social Assistance Programme, but no elderly welfare schemes have been launched since then. He accused the Union Government of spending crores of money in 'PR campaigns', tax cuts of billionaires and foreign events. 'Noida is not an exception -- it's a warning. In 2021, the Centre slashed 200 crore from the National Social Assistance Programme. No new elderly welfare schemes have been launched since. But crores flow into PR campaigns, foreign events, and tax cuts for billionaires. There is only ONE govt-run old-age home in Gautam Buddha Nagar district (where Noida is located). How many more horror homes like Anand Niketan Vridh Ashram are we ignoring?', Tagore wrote in his 'X' post. Raising questions on the Union Government's Ayushman Bharat scheme, Manickam Tagore highlighted that it ignores the elderly citizens in the 'unorganised' sector. 'Even flagship schemes like Ayushman Bharat ignore the elderly in the unorganised sector. Where is universal healthcare for seniors? Where is old-age mental health care?' he said. The Congress leader demanded strict monitoring of old-age homes, a separate ministry wing for the elderly, a national elder-care registry, and a universal pension scheme for senior citizens. He informed that even Nepal offers a universal pension to senior citizens, whereas in India, the amount is only Rs 800 per month, which doesn't reach everyone. 'What we need now: Universal pension scheme, National elder-care registry, Strict monitoring of old-age homes, Dedicated Ministry wing for ageing and Inclusion in Budget 2025 with specific, protected funds. Even Nepal guarantees a universal pension to all citizens over 70 years old. In India, we offer 800 per month -- and not even that reaches everyone', the 'X' post said. (ANI)
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Business Standard
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Tagore's handwritten letters fetch ₹5.9 crore at AstaGuru auction
A set of 35 handwritten letters by Rabindranath Tagore, along with 14 envelopes, was sold for ₹5.9 crore in AstaGuru's recent 'Collectors' Choice' auction, underscoring his undying allure. AstaGuru said the auction — held on June 26 and 27 — was especially significant as the lot was not a visual artwork but a manuscript-based archive, and yet achieved the second-highest price ever for a Rabindranath creation at auction. The letters were addressed to sociologist, musicologist and confidant Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji, and dated between 1927 and 1936. Twelve of these letters were written on various letterheads — from Visva-Bharati, his Uttarayan residence, Glen Eden in Darjeeling, and aboard his houseboat, Padma. 'This is not just a literary artefact; it's a self-portrait of the Nobel Laureate in his own words,' said Manoj Mansukhani, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), AstaGuru. 'Their correspondence captures everything from philosophical musings and literary self-defence to aesthetic theory and emotional vulnerability.' According to Mansukhani, Tagore's letters are rare, though individual ones occasionally surface. 'But a set as extensive, intellectually rich, and emotionally candid as this, comprising 35 handwritten letters and 14 envelopes, is exceptionally uncommon,' he said. 'Also, most of Tagore's important correspondence is held in institutional archives. So offerings like this in the public domain are few and far between.' The letters were part of a private collection. The provenance has been carefully documented, and several of the letters have been published in major journals and books over the years, Mansukhani added. Apart from the trove of letters, The Heart — the only known sculpture by Rabindranath Tagore — also went under the virtual hammer at AstaGuru's 'Collectors' Choice' auction. Believed to be dedicated to Kadambari Devi, the wife of Rabindranath Tagore's brother Jyotirindranath Tagore, the quartzite piece was sold for around ₹1,04,52,210. It dates back to 1883 during a retreat in Karwar, Karnataka, when Tagore was 22. Tagore's letters and The Heart were among 77 lots offered at the auction. While the letters fetched the highest price, the second-highest was for a work by M F Husain from his Mother Teresa series, which sold for approximately ₹3,80,08,036.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rabindranath Tagore's only known sculpture sells for Rs 1.04 crore in auction; set of 35 handwritten letters fetches Rs 5.9 crore; rare works shed light on poet's emotional world
Rabindranath Tagore's only known sculpture, 'The Heart,' believed to be dedicated to Kadambari Devi, fetched over ₹1 crore at a Kolkata auction. A set of 35 letters from Tagore to sociologist Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji sold for ₹5.9 crore. Created in 1883, 'The Heart' features a poignant Bengali inscription. KOLKATA: 'The Heart', the only known sculptural piece attributed to Rabindranath Tagore, was sold for Rs 1,04,52,210 at an auction in the city on Friday. Its estimated price was between Rs 55 lakh and Rs 70 lakh. According to auction house AstaGuru's 'Collectors' Choice', the sculpture is believed to have been dedicated to Kadambari Devi, wife of his brother Jyotirindranath. At the same auction, a set of 35 handwritten letters and 14 envelopes sent by Tagore to sociologist Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji between 1927 and 1936, fetched Rs 5.9 crore. The estimated bidding price of the set was between Rs 5 crore and Rs 7 crore. Tagore was only 22 when he sculpted 'The Heart' in 1883 during a contemplative retreat in the coastal town of Karwar in Karnataka in the company of his brother Satyendranath and sister-in-law Jnanadanandini Devi. On it, he engraved in Bengali — 'Having cut my heart of stone,I have engraved (the words) with my own hand. Will it ever be effaced by the flow of tears?' You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata In 1941, a photograph of the sculpture was published in 'The Calcutta Municipal Gazette'. The caption mentioned it as a 'piece of quartzite stone cut in the form of a heart by the poet's own hands and the verse composed and engraved by him... It was presented to his friend, the poet Akshoychandra'. Akshoychandra Chowdhury was a classmate of Jyotirindranath. 'This emotionally charged and deeply personal object not only expands the understanding of Tagore's artistic practice but also offers a rare glimpse into his inner world during a formative period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Preserved in a russet pouch, this intimate object reveals a lesser-known dimension of the Nobel laureate's creative life: a brief foray into sculpture infused with emotional vulnerability. Seen by many as a gesture of unrequited love, the sculpture transforms inner grief into form—bearing the emotional weight of a young Tagore's private longing, etched forever in stone,' said Manoj Mansukhani, CMO, AstaGuru Auction House. Akshoychandra passed on the piece to his daughter, Umarani, who subsequently gave it to her daughter, Debjani. Painter Atul Bose was married to Debjani, and the piece was in their care until its re-emergence for public appreciation when it was exhibited in Kolkata in 2024. 'Any piece by Tagore, be it a sculpture or a letter, is priceless. It does not surprise me that they fetched a high value. Though it is completely the prerogative of the owner to decide where they want to keep it, I would personally love to see them in museums where the public has a chance to view them. People should be able to read letters written by Tagore or see a piece sculpted by him. Though I belong to the family, I believe Tagore belongs to humanity,' said Sumanto Chattopadhyay, great-great-grandson of Satyendranath Tagore. The letters that Tagore sent to sociologist Mukerji offer deep insight into the poet's creative evolution, philosophical reflections, and transition from literary to visual expression. 'The result is especially significant considering the lot was not a visual artwork but a manuscript-based archive and yet became the second-highest price ever achieved for a Rabindranath Tagore creation at auction,' Mansukhani said.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Tagore's 'heart' fetches Rs 1 cr & letters Rs 5.9 cr
'The Heart', the only known sculptural piece attributed to Rabindranath Tagore , was sold for Rs 1.04 crore at a Kolkata auction on Friday. Its estimated price was between Rs 55 lakh and Rs 70 lakh. According to auction house AstaGuru's "Collectors' Choice", the sculpture is believed to have been dedicated to Kadambari Devi, wife of Tagore's brother Jyotirindranath. At the same auction, a set of 35 handwritten letters and 14 envelopes sent by Tagore to sociologist Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji between 1927 and 1936, fetched Rs 5.9 crore. The estimated bidding price of the set was between Rs 5 crore and Rs 7 crore. Tagore was only 22 when he sculpted 'The Heart' in 1883 during a contemplative retreat in the coastal town of Karwar in Karnataka in the company of his brother Satyendranath and sister-in-law Jnanadanandini Devi. On it, he engraved in Bengali - "Having cut my heart of stone, I have engraved (the words) with my own hand. Will it be ever effaced by the flow of tears?" "Any piece by Tagore, be it a sculpture or a letter, is priceless. It does't surprise me that they fetched a high value. Though it is the prerogative of the owner to decide where they want to keep it, I would personally love to see them in museums. People should be able to read letters by Tagore or see a piece sculpted by him. Though I belong to the family, I believe Tagore belongs to humanity," said Sumanto Chattopadhyay, great-great-grandson of Satyendranath.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Set of Rabindranath Tagore's letters fetched a whopping Rs 5.9 crore
Rabindranath Tagore's handwritten letters to Dhurjati Prasad Mukherji were auctioned. The letters fetched Rs 5.9 crore. It is the second-highest price for Tagore's work at auction. AstaGuru Auction House conducted the sale. A sculpture by Tagore, "The Heart", was also sold. The letters chronicle Tagore's creative and intellectual life. They were written between 1927 and 1936. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Classified as national art treasures, an archival lot of 35 handwritten letters with 14 envelopes that Rabindranath Tagore penned to his confiante sociologist Dhurjati Prasad Mukherji fetched Rs 5.9 crore at an online auction, possibly the second-highest price ever achieved for a single lot under Tagore's name that had gone under the hammer over the sale of the set of letters was conducted by AstaGuru Auction House between June 26 and June result is especially significant considering the lot was not a visual artwork but a manuscript-based archive and yet became the second-highest price ever achieved for a Rabindranath Tagore creation at auction, said AstaGuru's chief marketing officer Manoj estimated price for the letters was Rs 5-7 crore.A sculpture "The Heart", hailed as the only sculptural piece attributed to Tagore was sold for Rs 1.05 crore, significantly higher than the estimated price of Rs 55 lakh to Rs 70 lakh. The quartzite piece was crafted in 1883 when the polymath was barely 22 and was in contemplative retreat in Karwar, broke the news of Tagore's letters and the sculpture going under the hammer in its June 21 edition."The overwhelming response to both lots — particularly the extraordinary result achieved by the letters — reinforces the growing recognition of archival and manuscript-based material as valuable cultural artefacts. These works offer not just collectible value, but living, breathing connections to India's intellectual and artistic heritage,' Mansukhani between 1927 and 1936, the letters chronicled the creative evolution of Tagore, the first non-European Nobel winner in literature, and his deeply illuminating intellectual belonging to a private Kolkata-based collection, these letters are classified as non-exportable. Many of these letters are preserved through a string of publications in journals like Parichay and books like Chhanda, Sahityer Pathe, Sur O Sangati and Sangit letters are written on different letterheads — from Visva-Bharati, his Uttarayan residence, Glen Eden in Darjeeling, and aboard his houseboat, Padma — tracing Tagore's intellectual and geographic journey, Astaguru said in the catalogue.
