Why is Teachers Day celebrated on 5th September?
Teachers Day 2023: The birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a prominent scholar and academician, is celebrated as Teachers Day in India. Know more about the celebration and history of Teachers' day.
Teachers' Day 2023: Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, in Thiruttani, Madras Presidency, British India (now in Tamil Nadu, India). His birthday is observed as Teachers Day across the country.
Teachers are the pillars of our society, they play an extraordinary part in the lives of our children, equipping them with knowledge, and strength and making them learn to face the hardships of life. They involve themselves in molding their students into responsible citizens of the country. India is considered a heaven for the knowledge imparted by great teachers of all times. Since 1962, India has been celebrating Teachers' Day on 5th September.
Teachers' Day 2023: Do you know how Teachers' Day originated?
On the auspicious occasion of Dr. Radhakrishnan's birthday, his students and friends requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday but in reply, Dr. Radhakrishnan said that “Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be a privilege if 5th September is observed as Teachers Day”.
The opinion of Dr. Radhakrishnan for the teachers was that the right kind of education could solve many ills of society and the country.
As it is well versed that “Teachers lay the foundation of a civilized and progressive society. Their dedicated work and the pain they encounter to ensure that students turn out to be enlightened citizens deserve high recognition”.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: 13 Interesting Facts about first Vice-President and second President of independent India
Further, he wanted the quality of education should be improved and a strong relationship should be developed between the teacher, students, and the way they are taught. Overall, he wants to change the educational system. According to him the teacher should gain the affection of pupils and respect for the teachers cannot be ordered but it should be earned.
Therefore, Teachers are the cornerstones of our future and act as a foundation for creating responsible citizens and good human beings. This day is celebrated to show our acknowledgment and recognition of the hard work put in by our teachers towards our development.
Teachers' Day 2023: Who is Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born in the year 1888 in a middle-class Telugu Brahmin family in the Madras Presidency, British India (now in Tamil Nadu, India).
He was the second son of Veera Samayya, a tehsildar in a zamindari. He had done his Post Graduation in Philosophy subject from Madras University and he wrote a thesis in M.A namely “The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions”, in which he had told that the Vedanta System has ethics value.
In one of his major works he also showed that Indian philosophy, once translated into standard academic jargon, is worthy of being called philosophy by western standards. And so, he earned lots of respect in Indian philosophy.
He was also nominated to the League of Nations Committee for International Cooperation in 1931. And in 1947 when India became Independent, Dr. Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO and from 1949 to 1952 he was the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union.
He was elected to the Constituent Assembly of India and later became the first Vice-President and finally the President of India from 1962-67. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954 and in his memory, the University of Oxford instituted the Radhakrishnan Chevening Scholarships and the Radhakrishnan Memorial Award. He had also received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 1961.
Amazing thing is that he was a very humble person. When he became the President of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan was open for everyone and people from all sections of the society can meet him. Do you know that he had accepted only Rs 2500 out of Rs 10,000 salary and donated the remaining amount to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund every month? Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan passed away on 17 April 1975.
On this day, students look forward with a lot of anticipation, for the sheer spirit of the occasion. Acting as teachers, they get a fair idea of the responsibility, so efficiently burdened by their teachers.
They bring gifts for their most admired teachers as well. It is an equally special day for teachers, as they get to know how much they are liked and appreciated by their students.
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