Category Personalities

            Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s birthday, which falls on 5th September, is celebrated as ‘Teacher’s Day’, in India since 1962. Dr. Radhakrishnan was India’s greatest teacher and a scholar in philosophy. In his opinion, teachers should be the best minds in the country.

            Some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday. In reply, Dr. Radhakrishnan said, “Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5th is observed as ‘Teacher’s Day’. The request showed Dr. Radhakrishnan’s love for the teaching profession. From then on, his birthday is observed as ‘Teacher’s Day’, in India.

            Dr. Radhakrishnan was immensely popular among his students. Dr. Radhakrishnan was of the opinion that only the right kind of education could solve many ills of society, and the country. He always tried to bring in a change in the educational system to improve the quality of education.

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            Dr. S. Radhakrishnan authored many books, mainly on philosophy. The first book written by him was about the ‘Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’ (1918), which he believed to be the true manifestation of Indian spirit.

            Some among his major philosophical works were ‘Indian Philosophy’ (1923), ‘The Hindu View of Life’, (1926) and ‘An Idealist View of Life’.

            His other works include – ‘The Principal Upanishads’, published in 1953, ‘Eastern Religions and Western Thought’, ‘Religion and Society’, and ‘The Dhammapada’. One among his other notable works is ‘Religion, Science and Culture’.

            Other than these works, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan regularly contributed articles to many international and national journals throughout his life.

            Dr. S. Radhakrishnan started his political career “rather late in life”, after his successful academic career. In 1931, he was nominated to the League of Nations Committee for intellectual Cooperation. When India became independent in 1947, Radhakrishnan represented the nation at the UNESCO from 1946 to 1952, and was later Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union, from 1949 to 1952.

            Jawaharlal Nehru decided to send Dr. Radhakrishnan to Moscow as India’s ambassador. Many people criticized this decision, asking how a philosopher like him could be a good diplomat, and deal with the strong communist leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. But, Dr. Radhakrishnan managed to change the paradigm of India’s relationship with the Soviet Union, and developed a good rapport with Stalin.

            He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India. Radhakrishnan was elected as the first Vice President of India in 1952, and elected as the second President of India in 1962. His tenure as the President was eventful. He faced some of the biggest challenges to India’s integrity – the deaths of two of Independent India’s wars, with China and Pakistan.

               Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu on 5th September 1888 into a poor Brahmin family. His father Sarvepalli Veeraswami was employed on a meagre salary in the zamindari. His mother’s name was Sitamma. It was difficult for Radhakrishnan’s father to educate him. Radhakrishnan was awarded scholarships throughout his academic life. He initially went to school in Tiruttani, and then went to the Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati for his high school.

               He initially joined Voorhees College in Vellore, but, later switched to the prestigious Madras Christian College at the age of 17. He chose philosophy as his major, and attained a BA and an MA in the field.

               He married Sivakamuamma in 1904, at the age of 16. The couple had five daughters and a son. They were married for 51 years, until, Sivakamuamma died in 1956.

              Dr. Radhakrishnan accepted an assistant lectureship at the Madras Presidency College in 1909. In 1918, Dr. Radhakrishnan was appointed as the professor of philosophy by the University of Mysore. He was immensely popular among his students.

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               Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan a legendary teacher and philosopher, was India’s second President. He served in this office from 1962-1967.

               He was also the first Vice President of India. It was after serving two terms as Vice President that he was elected as the President. He was one of India’s most distinguished twentieth-century scholars of comparative religion and philosophy.

               From 1931 to 1936, he served as the Vice Chancellor – of Andhra University. In 1936, he taught eastern religions and ethics at the Oxford University. He was the first Indian to be appointed the Vice Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University.

               Dr. Radhakrishnan was awarded several high honours during his life, including a knighthood in 1931. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1954 and the honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963. Dr. Radhakrishnan believed that “teachers should be the best minds in the country”. His birthday, September 5th, is aptly celebrated as ‘Teacher’s Day’ in India.

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                    Besides being the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was a prolific writer. He was known for his literary contributions.

                   The most popular among his books are his autobiography ‘Atmakatha’ (1946), which he wrote while he was in prison.

                   This inspiring book was first published in Hindi. He has beautifully detailed his childhood in his native village Chapra, early education with his teacher maulvi saheb, years as a student in Calcutta, married life at the age of twelve and his legal career. The book also highlights his valuable observations on British colonial rule in India.

                  He authored ‘India Divided’, while serving his prison term. It was published in 1946, a year before India was divided. The book specifically examines the theory of two nations.

                     Some of his other major works are, ‘Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminiscences’ which was published in 1949, ‘Satyagraha in Champaran’, and ‘At the Feet of Mahatma Gandhi’ in 1955.

                     ‘At the Feet of Mahatma Gandhi’ was a tribute to the Father of Our Nation. ‘Bharatiya Shiksha’ authored by Dr. Rajendra Prasad too is a popular book among the masses.

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