Teachers Day 2018: Who Was Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Why We Dedicate This Day to Teachers?

Teachers’ day is celebrated across India on 5th September, every year, which is also the birthday of former President, teacher, educator and scholar Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

In the year 1962, when Dr. Radhakrishnan assumed his office, the first ever teachers day was celebrated.

The former President was born in the year 1882 to a Telugu Brahmin family in Tirutani in Andhra Pradesh. A highly educated man of his times, Dr.Radhakrishnan did his Masters in Philosophy from University of Madras, after which he went on to teach in University of Mysore and University of Calcutta.

Later, he served as the Vice Chancellor in Andhra University as well as in Banaras Hindu University. After all these accomplishments, he was also invited to Oxford University to take the chair of Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions.

Dr.Radhakrishnan was elected as the president of our nation and was requested by a lot of people to celebrate his birthday.

But, Dr. Radhakrishnan did not want his birthday to be celebrated, instead, the great man said that he would be honored if his birthday could be celebrated as teachers day in India so as to pay respect to the teachers and all that they have done for the society.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was an achiever, a humanitarian and an inspiration to the youth. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1931and many other civilian awards like the Knighthood. Not only this, he was nominated eleven times for the Nobel Peace Prize throughout his lifetime.

He was loved by all his students and was known to be a wonderful, interactive and approachable teacher. He was ever ready to help and was always there for his students. There could be no better day to celebrate our teachers than his birth anniversary.

Teachers Day is celebrated all over India with a lot of enthusiasm. Students make cards for teachers, give gifts and thank them for their indispensable role. Everyone acknowledges how a teacher shapes the life of students and we should be ever grateful to them.

"The dream begins, most of the time, with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you on to the next plateau, sometimes poking you with a sharp stick called truth" — Dan Rather.

So, this year, go ahead and celebrate our nations 57th Teachers Day with full vigor and let your teachers know how much you appreciate and value all that they have done for you.