Who built Shantiniketan, the famous centre of learning and culture later associated with Rabindranath Tagore?

Introduction / Context:
This question deals with modern Indian cultural history and education. Shantiniketan is a well known centre of learning, art, and culture in West Bengal. It is closely associated with the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who experimented with new forms of education that emphasised creativity, nature, and holistic development rather than rote learning.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks who built Shantiniketan.
• The options are Guru Ramdas, Maharaja Pratap Singh, Rabindranath Tagore, and the British Government.
• We interpret "built" here in the sense of founding and developing the institution as it is widely known.
• No calculation is required; it is a factual recall question about cultural history.

Concept / Approach:
Shantiniketan was founded and developed by Rabindranath Tagore as an experimental school and later expanded into Visva Bharati University. While Tagore's family, especially his father Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, owned the land and had a spiritual retreat there, it was Rabindranath Tagore who created the educational institution known as Shantiniketan and gave it its unique character. Therefore, in the context of general knowledge questions, Rabindranath Tagore is regarded as the builder of Shantiniketan as an educational centre.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Shantiniketan is strongly associated with the life and work of Rabindranath Tagore. Step 2: Remember that he created an open, nature-based school there, which later evolved into Visva Bharati University. Step 3: Evaluate the options: Guru Ramdas and Maharaja Pratap Singh are not connected with this institution, and the British Government did not found it as a colonial project. Step 4: Therefore, Rabindranath Tagore is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by recalling that Shantiniketan is often described in textbooks as Tagore's experimental school where students studied under the open sky and engaged in arts and crafts alongside formal learning. His educational philosophy and the founding of Visva Bharati at Shantiniketan are frequently mentioned in discussions of modern Indian education, confirming his role as the builder of the institution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Guru Ramdas: A Sikh Guru with no historical connection to Shantiniketan.
• Maharaja Pratap Singh: Associated with princely states and different historical contexts, not with Shantiniketan.
• The British Government: While the British established many institutions, Shantiniketan was a private initiative by Tagore, not a colonial project.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may confuse the roles of Tagore's father and Tagore himself. While his father had an ashram on the land, the question focuses on building Shantiniketan as a centre of learning, for which Rabindranath Tagore is rightly credited. Another pitfall is simply guessing the British Government because many universities were founded by colonial authorities, but this does not apply here.

Final Answer:
Shantiniketan, as a famous centre of learning and culture, was built and developed by Rabindranath Tagore.