" Sir, through your poetry you have interpreted to the West the innermost thoughts of the East, which interpretation came to her as a magnificent revelation. The West looked up in admiration and give you the highest distinction it was in her power to bestow by awarding you the Nobel prize.
You were the first Indian, and the first amongst the asiatics , to receive that coveted honour, and we are as justly proud of this fact as we are of your poetry. You have brought glory to your motherland , and have proved , beyond doubt, that Indian talent and Indian culture stand on as high a plane as that of any other nation in the world."
That Rabindranath had given all his money obtained by winning the Nobel prize to rhe school at Santiniketan was an instance of Indian greatness. Narrating this it was incorporated in the address of honour ;
"Sir, in sincerely welcoming you again, we hope that your arrival in this country synchronise with a better interpretation of Indian thoughts and a truer understanding and a more genuine appreciation of all that is the best and the most exalted in Indianculture by the intelligent people of this country."
After having read the address of honour Mr. Rahaman handed the address handed the address to Sir Rabindranath in a very handsome carved ivory casket, -- a beautiful specimen of Japanese art."
In reply to the honour given to him, Rabindranath said;
"A poet has said that 'heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter.' There may be some truth in this saying as regards music, but not, I am quite sure, about speech-making, and specially from one who unlike myself, is an adept in this line. Payment of money can be made in the coin of any realm so long as they contain precious metal, but payment for acts of kindness can only be made in the language of one's heart., which is one's mother tongue.unfortunately for me, my mother tongue (Bengali) is not current in the homes of most of you, so it can have no exchange value. I am therefore compelled to translate my feelings into foreign words which are foreign to the giver as well a to the receivers. It is a most difficult process, and one has to be very careful in attempting it, especially when not accomplished in the art. I have therefore to be very brief, and I simply think you for the kind words addressed to me, assuring you that this brevity of mine is not owing to any miserliness of heart, but to my paucity of words."
lastly Andrews said a few words of unity among the persons of two countries of same origin.
