"We arrive at Calcutta this afternoon from Bolpur, where we spent the whole of the school term, father busy teaching boys & writing text books in English . Just before coming down while talking with me & Mr.Andrews father got quiet excited over the idea of making the Bolpur Institution a truly representative Indian Educational colony, where boys from all the provinces of India would come together to get an education & a culture that is national & at the same time modern. The different colonies of boys would keep to their own peculiar customs & manners where they do not conflict with our national ideals & they would thus get a training from their childhood to respect each other in spite of outward differences. In India, unity cannot mean unification ; we must get used to this from the beginning. Bolpur institution should not be sectarian,or provincial."
It is to be noted here, that Rabindranath was thinking Bolpur as an International Institution rather he thought it to become an inter-provincial institution where the students of each province will keep their own identity in respect of their own social and provincial customs.But when he was in America, once he wrote to Rathindranath [Oct 1916] ;
" The institution in Santiniketan is to be made a link between India and the World --it should be made a center of interchange of all human cultures of all nations of the world. This is the end of era of national narrowness -- this will be the center for international union of all countries of the world of which Bolpur will be the first center of sacrificial rite for this movement."
He was nominated as the Chancellor of the National University founded by Annie Basant and he started very soon for Madras. Rathindranath wrote on 9th Oct, 1918,
" Many Gujrati and Marwari gentlemen -- many of those who have sent5 their boys to Santiniketan - came to our house to confer with father. Father explained them his ideas regarding the future of the school, which appealed to them & they grew quite enthusiastic. They promised to help as best as they could . Rs. 500/- was handed over by Mr. Keshabjee for the technical dept. shortly to be opened.""
Since long, the idea of opening a technical section in Santiniketan was prevailing.A small arrangements were there since beginning . A Persian Gentleman, Bomanjee, extended his hand in this respect and contributed Rs. 5000/- for this purpose. His agreement was if others come forward in this line, his name can be publicized. Rabindranath wrote him on 16th Sept,1918,
" Rathi informs me of your generous offer to help my Institution in carrying on its technical department. In spit of all my difficulties I have ventured to start it, struggling on with it against obstacles. Your timely offer of aid comes to me as a great relief."
Bamonjee promised to contribute this amount each year.This offer was utilised in setting 10'feet long a Red Cross Windmill to be brought from America and $ 150 was sent to George Brett for this purpose. These windmills were used to raise water from deep well. But this instrument could not attract the students for developing their inquisitiveness. He expressed it in an essay ' Ashramer Shiksha ".
After a few days Santiniketan got the benefit of Electricity.
