Teachers’ Day 2022 On September 5; Custom, History & Significance Of This Day: Dr Radhakrishnan not just served as the President of India but was also a scholar, philosopher, and Bharat Ratna awardee. (Image: Express Archives)Teachers’ Day 2022 In India, Why is it celebrated on September 5?: Every year, India celebrates the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan as National Teachers’ Day as a tribute to his contributions and achievements. Born on September 5, 1888, Dr Radhakrishnan not just served as the President of India but was also a scholar, philosopher, and Bharat Ratna awardee.
Born in a poor Telugu Brahmin family, Radhakrishnan completed his entire education through scholarships. He possessed a master’s degree in Philosophy and authored the book ‘The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’ in 1917. He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936 and the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1939, succeeding Madan Mohan Malviya.
He went on to teach at Chennai’s Presidency College and Calcutta University. In 1931, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna — the highest civilian award in India in 1954. He was admitted as an honorary member of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963.
The becoming of Teachers’ Day
During his lifetime, Dr Radhakrishnan was a meritorious student, a celebrated teacher among students. It is said that while he was serving as the second President of India in 1962, his students approached him to seek permission to celebrate his birthday – September 5 – as a special day. To this, Dr Radhakrishnan instead made a request to observe September 5 as Teachers’ Day, to recognise the contribution of teachers to the society.
Despite all his achievements and contributions, Radhakrishnan remained a teacher throughout his life. Teachers’ Day is celebrated to honour the memory of India’s first Vice President and to commemorate the importance of teachers in our lives.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru once said on Radhakrishnan, “He has served his country in many capacities. But above all, he is a great teacher from whom all of us have learnt much and will continue to learn. It is India’s peculiar privilege to have a great philosopher, a great educationist and a great humanist as our President.”