The South Asian Studies Initiative at the University of Illinois is proud to co-host the inaugural Tagore House Conference, organized in collaboration with the Tagore House Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the memory of Rabindranath Tagore’s 1912–13 visit to Urbana-Champaign.
Themed “Tagore’s Legacy in the World,” and inspired by Tagore’s own words—<জ্বলে উঠল আলো পুবে পশ্চিমে>—the conference brings together scholars, artists, and community members for a weekend of seminars, performances, poetry, music, and dialogue. Events will take place at the Illini Union and other local venues, including a commemorative visit to Tagore’s former residence at 50 W. High Street.
Featured speakers and performers include:
– Syed Manzoorul Islam (University of Dhaka)
– Nigel Hughes
– Azizur Rahman Khan
– Pushpita Awasthi
– Brian Hatcher (Tufts University)
– Local and visiting poets, musicians, and dancers from the U.S. South Asian diaspora.
Additional highlights include:
– A keynote seminar on Tagore’s imagination and global vision
– A musical procession, community meals, and cultural evenings
– A presentation on computational approaches to Tagore’s songs, developed in collaboration with NCSA
– An open forum on the future of Tagore House and Bengali language instruction
Organized around Tagore’s Urbana legacy, it celebrates academic inquiry and diasporic cultural expression.
👉 Click here to register
🔗 Program and updates: Tagore House Conference Page on South Asia website, and tagorehouse.org.