Teachers Day

In India teachers day is celebrated on September 5 in memory of late India president and scholar Dr. S Radhakrishnan. Here is a brief bio of the great teacher.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September 1888 in Tiruttani of Tamil Nadu State in India. He was the first Vice President of India (1952–1962) and subsequently the second President of India (1962–1967). More than than that his birthday is celebrated as Teachers Day in India.

He graduated with a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Madras Christian College in 1906. Radhakrishnan’s M.A. thesis "The Ethics of the Vedanta", was published when he was only 20.

In April 1909,Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was appointed to the Department of Philosophy at the Madras Presidency College. in 1918, Radhakrishnan was selected as Professor of Philosophy by the University of Mysore. He was offered the professorship in Calcutta University when he was less than 30 years old. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. In 1939, he was appointed the Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University .Two years later, he took over the Sir Sayaji Rao Chair of Indian Culture and Civilization in Banaras.

When he became President, some of his students and friends requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday, 5 September. He replied,

"Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if 5 September is observed as Teachers’ Day."

He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954, and the Order of Merit in 1963.