Commemorative Visva-Bharati plaques mention PM Modi and VC Bidyut Chakraborty, but, Rabindranath Tagore does not get a mention

Plaques put up in West Bengal's Visva-Bharati University to commemorate the institution’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site have sparked a massive controversy. The plaques bear the names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the university's chancellor, and vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty, however, Rabindranath Tagore fails to find a place on these commemorative installations.

Three such plaques have been installed across the varsity campus. The plaques on white marble say UNESCO Inscribed "World Heritage Site" and have the names of Mr. Modi as Acharya or Chancellor and Mr. Chakrabarty as Upacharya or Vice-Chancellor.

On September 17 of this year, UNESCO designated Santiniketan, a residential school and learning center for the arts founded by Tagaore in 1901, as a World Heritage Site.

Unlike the plaques installed in the varsity campus, UNESCO’s website that contains information pertaining to the newly designated ‘World Heritage Site’ does not bear the names of the chancellor or the Vice Chancellor. UNESCO attributes the founding of Santiniketan to "renowned poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore," which differs from "prevailing British colonial architectural orientations of the early twentieth century and of European modernism" and reflects efforts toward a pan-Asian modernity.

The development has not only garnered the ire of the varsity faculty members but also from Opposition parties.

Taking to X, TMC MP, Jawhar Sircar said, “UNESCO specifically said they are honouring Rabindranath Tagore and his unique legacy by declaring Santiniketan as a World Heritage Site. — A megalomaniac VC and his boss seem to think UNESO is honouring them!!” The Indian National Congress has condemned the installation of such plaques that have ‘forgotten’ to honor the legacy of Tagore. “Does Modi ji think he is bigger than Tagore? He can grow a long beard before the Bengal elections, but he can never appropriate the legacy of Tagore,” said Shama Mohamed, Congress spokesperson.

Taking a jibe at the Opposition parties, West Bengal BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya stated that the relationship between Tagore and Visva Bharati does not need to be revealed, adding that certain people are raising irrelevant concerns.

This development comes at a time when the University administration is at odds with a group of faculty members and legal fights are being waged in court. In addition, the Central University administration is locked in a legal battle with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, over a piece of land that the varsity claims has been ‘illegally’ occupied by the economist.