China set to donate Rs.5.36 million to Tagore Museum in Kolkata

New Delhi, Aug 28 (ANI): China would reportedly donate 5.36 million rupees (116,500 dollars) for the establishment of a gallery on "Rabindranath and China" in Kolkata's Tagore Museum.

According to Xinhua, an agreement has been signed between the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata at Tagore House.

Mao Siwei, Consul General of China in Kolkata claimed that Rabindranath Tagore was very popular in China and that the country had published the Complete Works of Tagore in 24 volumes ten years ago.

"As far as I know, Chinese is the language which has done the most for Tagore's publications, second only to Indian languages and English. In the ancient times we learned Buddhism from India; in the modern age we have been inspired by Rabindranath Tagore, the great son of Bengal," he added.

He further quoted Rabindranath Tagore as saying, "When I had my invitation to China, from my friends in Peking, I was greatly delighted. I felt it was a great opportunity for me to renew the deep spiritual relationship between our two peoples which was established long ago."

The China Gallery would reportedly be inaugurated in May 2011, to mark Rabindranath Tagore's 150-year Birth Anniversary. (ANI)