Rabindranath Tagore’s Pursuit of Physical Education: A History of Judo in India

The reputation of Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) as one of the greatest thinkers of modern history has always attracted scholars to explore different aspects of his life and works. While his contributions as an educationist and his educational philosophy have been significantly studied, his thoughts on physical education have received comparatively little scholarly attention. By the late nineteenth century, physical education had become an integral part of educational systems in developed nations of the West and Japan in Asia. It is therefore unsurprising that Tagore, known for his cosmopolitan approach to education, recognized physical education as essential to the holistic development of children. This study elucidates Tagore’s engagement with physical education, with a particular focus on his admiration for the Japanese martial art of Judo and his efforts to promote it in India. It is of special interest in this paper to examine the learning values embedded within Judo that appeal to Tagore. Situating this study within a broader context of Indo-Japanese cultural diplomacy and the physical education movement in colonial India, the paper sheds light on an interesting but lesser-known episode of modern Indian history; the introduction of Judo as physical education in India.