Humayun Kabir

Professor Kabir became the Chairman of the University Grants Commission. Afterwards he switched over to politics and became a Central Minister of the Indian Republic. Prof. Kabir was the Editor of the reputed literary journal Caturanga.

In remembering the services and the examples of Sri Ramakrishna, we …have before us the example of a personality who tried to live and explain the different aspects of human functions, of which we have very few equals in our country’s history.

…In his own life he tried to realize truth in its different manifestations, to recognize the value of the contribution of different types of human endeavour to the achievement of salvation. …The aspect which has impressed me, is his emphasis on toleration, on service. …His emphasis on toleration is only a development of the aspect of service to humanity. …Once he told Swami Vivekananda, ‘…So long as you Serve people, there is no question of your trying to show mercy, there is no question of showing compassion as is ordinarily understood. What is wanted is compassion in the true and literal sense of the word, compassion by which you identify yourself with others.’… His emphasis on toleration rests on this emphasis upon compassion in the sense of identifying oneself with humanity, identifying oneself with the individual of whatever colour, whatever creed, whatever religion, whatever race, of whatever nationality. And in his life he exemplified this sense of identification with all human beings. …To my mind that is also the greatest teachings of true democracy and Sri Ramakrishna in his own way emphasized the dignity of the individual.

…The greatness of Sri Ramakrishna, the beauty of Sri Ramakrishna, thus lies in this sense of identification with human beings, the recognition of the value of the individual.