<span style="color: #333333;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid rich tributes to BishwaKavi Rabindranath Tagore on the occasion of his birth anniversary today. Remembering Nobel laureate Tagore, Mr. Modi said that may the exemplary ideals of the renowned polymath keep giving everyone the strength and inspiration to build the India he dreamt of.<br />''</span><br />''Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary is also called Pachishe Boishakh in Bengali. Poet, novelist, essayist, philosopher and musician, Tagore is one of those great masters of literature whose works hardly left any human emotion untouched. Gurudev penned over 2000 songs, which are known as 'Rabindra Sangeet'. He became the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. The coveted honour was bestowed upon him after the publication of his acclaimed collection of poems, Geetanjali. According to the Nobel committee, Tagore was recognised for the prestigious prize "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."<br />''<br />''"You can't cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water: one of the several words written by the bard during his time in Bengal, this quote is a reminder for all of us to stay focused on the goal and achieve it using the right means. <br />''In an attempt to challenge conventional methods of classroom education, Gurudev established a university of his own. Tagore used the cash he received with the Nobel prize and collected funds from around the world to set up Visva-Bharati University in Santiniketan, West Bengal where many classes were conducted under trees in open fields.<br />''<br />''Rabindranath Tagore wrote the national anthem of two countries, India and Bangladesh, "Jana Gana Mann" and "Amar Shonar Bangla".<br />''<br />''The man who reshaped and rejuvenated India's art and culture, the Bard of Bengal died on August 7, 1941, aged 80. Even decades after his death, his work continues to inspire countless generations of young artists around the world.<br />''<span style="color: #333333;">Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid respectful tributes to Maharana Pratap on the occasion of his birth anniversary today. The Prime Minister said, great warrior Maharana Pratap honoured Mother India with his unmatched courage and bravery. Mr. Modi said Maharana Pratap's sacrifice and dedication to the motherland will always be remembered.<br />'' </span><br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Moreover Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the great freedom fighter and philanthropist Gopal Krishna Gokhale on the occasion of his birth anniversary today. Remembering the freedom fighter, Mr. Modi said, Mr. Gokhale dedicated his entire life in the service of the nation and will continue to be an eternal source of inspiration for everyone</span><br />