Tagore Society of Houston (TSH) is a non sectarian, non religious, non-political organization, established in 1974, with the sole purpose of disseminating the universal ideas and philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore who, in 1913, became the first non-European poet to win the Nobel prize for Literature. Not just a poet and philosopher, Tagore was a social activist, incessant world traveler, education innovator, and creative genius who revolutionized the medium of song, dance and dance-drama in his native Bengal. He became world renowned for the mystic nature of his poetry, his humanistic ideals and outspoken advocacy for a borderless world.
Our Mission
- To propagate Rabindranath Tagore’s humanistic philosophy of universalism and its relevance in the new globalized world
- To extend appreciation and share the universality of Tagore’s thoughts, ideals and philosophy
- To promote unity in the diversity of cultures and to advocate the totality of human civilization
Our Team
Our team consists of passionate volunteers whose primary motivation is spreading the universal messages of Rabindranath Tagore.
In addition to the passionate volunteers, we have an elected executive board, our up-and-coming young leaders make up the executive coordinators and finally the stewards of the society — our Board of Directors.
Executive Board
Executive Coordinators
Board of Advisors
List of Founding Members & Past Presidents
Our History
TSH was founded in 1974 by a small group of Bengali immigrants who had made Houston their home and wished to preserve a living connection to their cultural heritage. From modest beginnings — informal gatherings, poetry readings, and song — the society has grown into one of the most active South Asian cultural organisations in Texas.
Over five decades, TSH has:
- Hosted hundreds of cultural events and festivals
- Established the Tagore Memorial Grove at Ray Miller Park
- Launched the TSH Passport Scholarship for student cultural exchange
- Founded the TSH Youth Orchestra for young Houston musicians
- Partnered with Visva-Bharati University, the Vedanta Society, India Music Society, and many other organisations
- Welcomed artists, scholars, and performers from across India, Bangladesh, and the global Bengali diaspora
In 2024, we celebrated our Golden Jubilee — 50 years of cultural service to Houston.
About Rabindranath Tagore
Rabindranath Tagore (রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর, 1861–1941) was a Bengali polymath — poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, composer, painter, and philosopher.
He was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1913), awarded for his collection of poetry Gitanjali (Song Offerings). His songs, known as Rabindra Sangeet, form an entire genre of Bengali music with over 2,000 compositions.
Tagore founded Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan, West Bengal — a school and university built on his belief that education should occur in nature, in dialogue with diverse cultures, and with full development of the human spirit.
His song Jana Gana Mana is the national anthem of India. Amar Shonar Bangla is the national anthem of Bangladesh.
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls…” — Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali (Poem 35)