Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography: Early Life, Career and Achievements

Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was a great Indian philosopher, patriotic statesman and politician who dedicated his life to enriching Indian education and Indian philosophy. He was born on September 5, 1888 in Tiruttani, Tamil Nadu, but his family belonged to the Telugu-speaking Brahmin community. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s father was a junior tax collector Sarvapalli Veeraswami and his mother’s name was Sitama. He was the second of three children in the family and married his wife Sivakam at the age of 16. They had 6 children.

Education and academic career

Radhakrishnan attended KV High School in Tiruttani and the Evangelical Lutheran School in Hermannsburg, and obtained his BA and MA degrees from the Madras Christian College in 1906. In his early scholarly writings, he devoted part of his intellectual attention to defending Indian philosophy, especially Vedanta, against critics of its ethical structure.

In 1909 he began teaching at Presidency College, Madras, and was a professor at the University of Mysore and the University of Calcutta.As Spalding Professor of Oriental Religions and Ethics at Oxford University, Radhakrishnan contributed to the place of Indian philosophy in the Western world.

Political career

However, it is noteworthy that Radhakrishnan entered politics relatively late. In August 1952, Jawaharlal Nehru appointed him as the first Vice President of India, a position he held until May 1962. In the same year, he was elected as the second President of India, a position he held until May 1967. During his presidency, he attached great importance to education and culture, and made the voice and spirit of democracy and Indian philosophy heard on the world stage.

Dr. Radhakrishnan passed away on April 17, 1975, but his writings, especially those on education, remain in people’s hearts. He upheld the values ​​and ideals of a teacher and believed in the potential of education, and his birthday, September 5, is celebrated as Teachers’ Day in India. He is remembered as a philosopher who worked to integrate Indian and Western philosophy and had a significant impact on comparative religion and ethics.

Many presidents of India have been teachers or professors, but in honor of the birthday of former President of India Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, September 5 is celebrated as Teachers’ Day in India to pay respect to him and teach appreciation of the teaching profession. This tradition started in 1962 when he was elected President of the Republic of India.

Students and friends persuaded Radhakrishnan to accept the gifts for his birthday, but he suggested that his birthday should not be celebrated in this way, but should be used to celebrate Teachers’ Day for all teachers in the country.

Radhakrishnan believed that teachers were among the most important people who had a great responsibility and opportunity to build society and educate students. It was also because of his diligence and humility that Teachers’ Day was established, a day for students to express their gratitude to their teachers. Since then, September 5 has become a day for people to celebrate educators and their contributions to society.

Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan’s contributions as an educationist, philosopher and statesman continue to inspire generations. He stressed the value of teachers, and Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year to commemorate his vision on the role of education in society. His life remains a testimony to the power of intellectual and cultural convergence.

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