Santiniketan’s UNESCO tag plaques to be replaced after row over Tagore exclusion

Names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also Visva Bharati’s chancellor, and vice-chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty featured on the three plaques

Three plaques marking Santiniketan’s inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list would be replaced after they triggered a row over the omission of the name of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who founded Visva Bharati there in 1901, the university spokesperson said on Monday.

Viswa Bharati got UNESCO's World Heritage tag in September. (ANI)

Names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is also Visva Bharati’s chancellor, and vice-chancellor (VC) Bidyut Chakrabarty featured on them. Santiniketan was included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list in September.

Mahua Banerjee, the university’s spokesperson, insisted the plaques were temporary. “They were installed to mark the heritage site. They would be replaced by new ones having inscriptions which would be provided by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the UNESCO.”

Tagore’s great-grandson, Supriyo Thakur, was among those who expressed his displeasure over the plaques. “The authorities are trying to wipe out the name of Tagore from Visva Bharati,” Thakur said over the phone. “There should be some protest. Those who have done it should be taught a lesson.”

University officials said that they were in touch with the ASI, which was likely to send the text for new plaques by the end of October. “This [new plaques] would include a proper historical background of the heritage site. UNESCO is also likely to send its text for inscription but that would take some time,” said Banerjee.

Visva Bharati is West Bengal’s only central university.