Name: Shashanka Sekhar Roy
Country: India

Year: 2025
Volume: Volume-10, Issue-2 (July-December)
Page Number: 132-138
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17961639

ABSTRACT:
Rabindranath Tagore's idea of rural development was one of the major instruments of the social and economic upliftment of the disadvantaged communities, likely peasants and labourers living in the village area. Despite being the son of a landlord, Tagore dedicated himself to the welfare of the rural poor. He was farsighted to establishing self-reliant villages and revitalising the rural economy. Tagore actively participated in addressing the grievances and poverty of the poor people. He diligently tried to eradicate illiteracy and superstitions among the peasants, labourers and the insolvents. Tagore viewed rural development as the sole path to national progress. He realised that the key to India's development lay in its villages. Without the holistic welfare of villages, the prosperity of India was unachievable. Therefore, true independence for society is equivalent to India's independence. Nearly half a century after Rabindranath's efforts, the National Service Scheme (NSS) was introduced in 1969 by the
Government of India. The objectives of this scheme were aligned with Rabindranath's rural development ideas. The scheme focused on adopting villages and undertaking community development works. This article will try to find out Tagore's village development ideas and how it is considered a model for the NSS.

Keywords: Development, village, welfare, society, nation, community, peasants.