New Delhi, Feb 24 (Inditop.com) With the 150th birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore being observed this year, Indian Railways proposes to set up two museums in West Bengal to commemorate him, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced in parliament Wednesday. A special cross-border train will also be run with Bangladesh so that the two countries can jointly celebrate the anniversary of the poet who has penned the national anthems of both countries.
“2010 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. In commemoration, I propose to set up a Rabindra Museum at Howrah and Gitanjali Museum at Bolpur, the place where Visva-Bharati International University is located, of which our honourable prime minister is the chancellor. I also propose to re-model Bolpur station, inspired by the architecture of Santiniketan,” Banerjee said while presenting the Railway Budget.
A special train, called the Sanskriti Express, will be run across the country to make the younger generation familiar with the literary legacy of the great poet.
“…it is (also) proposed to run a special train in consultation with the Government of Bangladesh across the border so that the two countries share the opportunity of celebrating the 150th anniversary jointly,” Banerjee stated.
The train will help to strengthen the existing bonds between the two countries, she said.
She said to provide better infrastructural facilities for the promotion of culture, the railways will set up the Shambhu Mitra Cultural Complex for performing arts and a music academy at Howrah. A Railway Cultural and Heritage Promotion Board will be established that will be responsible for coordinating and supervising all related activities of the railways.
“The 14 lakh members of the Rail Parivar come from diverse cultures and social backgrounds. There is a need to bring solidarity among this vast group through intermingling and interchange. I propose to set up a Railway Cultural and Heritage Promotion Board which will be responsible for coordinating and supervising all related activities on the railways,” she said.
