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On 29 May 1919, Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, in protest against the horrifying Jallianwala Bagh massacre, composed a letter addressed to the Viceroy of India, Lord Chelmsford, beseeching him to renounce the knighthood bestowed upon Tagore by the British monarch in 1915. Though not an active participant in politics, Tagore's spirit was ignited by the harrowing events of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. In the wake of the massacre, Tagore sought to rally fellow leaders of the nation to join his protest. When no one answered the call, he found himself standing resolutely alone. His letter commenced with these words: "Your Excellency, the enormity of the measures taken by the Government in the Punjab to suppress local disturbances has jolted our understanding, revealing the vulnerability of our status as British subjects in India." Tagore was deeply wounded and incensed by the brutal and inhumane treatment meted out to the people of his country. In unambiguous language, he conveyed to the Viceroy that such conduct by the mighty British ruler towards the helpless and marginalized was both unjust and a stain on human civilization. He contended that this ruthless persecution of impoverished and unarmed countrymen could not be a policy befitting a benevolent ruler and it would forever tarnish the annals of human history as a reprehensible chapter in the loss of human lives. He prophesied that the humiliation and suffering experienced by the people of Punjab would soon resonate with all of India, inciting a storm of protest. In their indifference to the sentiments of the Indian populace, the British rulers had enacted the Rowlatt Act, motivated solely by their own interests, displaying a profound disregard and arrogance towards the people of the land. The tragic events of Jallianwala Bagh unfolded during Tagore's protest and the observance of the Punjabi New Year (Pongal). On that fateful day, as per the orders of Brigadier General R. E. H. Dyer, all exits from the garden were sealed, leaving behind indelible traces of brutality, an unforgivable crime in human history. At that juncture, Rabindranath Tagore was acknowledged as a global poet of extraordinary stature. He had been bestowed with the Nobel Prize in 1913 and was granted a knighthood in 1915 for his exceptional contributions to literature. However, following the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Tagore was overwhelmed with shame at carrying a title conferred upon him by the British. Although he did not wish to slight the honor, he implored Viceroy Lord Chelmsford to relinquish the knighthood title (Sir) in solidarity with his countrymen. In his letter, he articulated, "These are the reasons that have painfully compelled me, with sincere reference and regret, to request Your Excellency to relieve me of my Knighthood, an honor I had the privilege to accept from His Majesty the King through your predecessor, for whom I still hold great admiration for his nobility of spirit." In hindsight, R. E. H. Dyer expressed remorse for his actions. A century later, the British Government issued an official statement expressing regret for the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, substantiating Rabindranath Tagore's righteous stance at the time.