Hello, my dear readers, today we are here to celebrate Teacher’s Day. My international readers might be wondering why we are celebrating it today when it happens on 5th October each year. Let me tell you that although the entire world celebrates the teacher’s day on 5th, October but in India we celebrate Teacher’s Day on 5th September each year. This day marks the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He was the first Vice President of free India and the second President. Beside this he was a great educator, scholar and philosopher. He was also a Bharat Ratna awardee, who was born on this day in 1888. So, let’s take a quick journey through his life and pay a tribute to all the teachers.
Dr. Radhakrishnan: The Scholar and Philosopher
The incredible journey of Dr. Radhakrishnan began with his education, which he completed with the aid of scholarships. He earned a fancy degree in Philosophy, which was like the first act in his successful career. I guess you would have heard about the book “The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore”. This book was published by him in 1917. This work amply demonstrates his great intellectual ability.
A Visionary Educator
Dr. Radhakrishnan was vice chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. In 1939, he was appointed vice chancellor of Banaras Hindu University. His exceptional contributions to education were recognized with the Bharat Ratna in 1954. Further, the British Royal Order of Merit recognized him as an honorary member in 1963.
The Origin of Teacher’s Day
How 5th September began to be celebrated as Teacher’s Day? When Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan assumed office as the second President of India in 1962, his students approached him to seek permission to celebrate his birthday. However, he humbly declined their request and instead, proposed that September 5th be observed as Teachers’ Day to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of teachers to society. According to him the best minds of the country should become teachers, as it will ensure the growth of the country.
Teacher’s Day Celebrations
Since then, September 5th has been celebrated as Teacher’s Day across schools, colleges, universities and educational institutions in India. Students in order to show the gratitude towards their cherished teachers and professors, perform variety of events such as dancing, singing, mimicry, games and other activities. Teacher’s Day is an auspicious day when each individual gets a chance to show their respect towards their mentors. Afterall, it is a feeling to recognize the impact of our mentors on our lives. However, it is not only for educational institutions.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: A Profound Writer
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was not only an extra ordinary educator but also, he was a wonderful writer. He wrote approximately 60 books in his entire career.
These books were based on philosophy. His works, including “Mahatma Gandhi by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan,” “The Bhagavad Gita” and “Indian Philosophy” are still studied in colleges and universities worldwide. His writings provide deep insights into various aspects of society and continue to inspire generations.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Radhakrishnan did a lot for education and politics, and he got many awards for it. Besides getting the Bharat Ratna, he became a member of the British Academy in 1962. Pope John Paul II even gave him something called the Golden Spar. He had a varied career – he was a professor at Mysore University. He represented India in Moscow from 1949 to 1952 and eventually became India’s second President in 1962.
Honoring Our Teachers on this Teacher’s Day
To sum up, teachers are the most important aspect of an individual’s life. Going down the pages of history and even religion we will find that even in his reincarnation Lord Vishnu started his journey as Ram under the guidance of his teacher Sage Vashistha. They work really hard to ensure that their disciples are successful. They have traits like being just, kind, self-assured and committed to their duties. These teachers besides being a teacher, they are great thinkers. Moreover, they are the lighthouse of wisdom who aims to guide the life of their students to a proper destination.
The above verse in Sanskrit places a teacher above God and clarifies that it is the teacher who has guided his way to find God. I truly appreciate each and every teacher on this auspicious day and the silent sacrifices they make for the success of their students. Whereby they sometime tend to ignore their own family for the welfare of their students. We all should remember that their hard work and dedication deserves applause not only for a day but throughout their life. Their contribution towards the nation is priceless as they shape the next generation of the nation. So, spare some time for your teachers today and wish them a very happy teacher’s day. Don’t forget to seek their blessings. Cheers to each and every teacher!
Very nice article .
Nice one