Who was Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan? Read why September 5 is celebrated as Teachers' Day

Teacher's Day, the day meant to celebrate the bond shared by the students and their teachers or mentors, is celebrated every year on 5th September. On this day, students express their gratitude towards the teachers for fruitful learning and make them feel very special. The day also marks the birth anniversary of  Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice President of India who was also a teacher and a philosopher. However, not many know why his birthday is celebrated as Teacher's Day. 

Read on to know more about Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Teacher's Day

Who was Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

The first Vice President of India, Bharat Ratna recipient, and a highly respected teacher and philosopher, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5th September, 1888. He also went on to become the second President of India. 

Talking about his early life, Radhakrishnan was an incredible student and later became a great teacher. He dedicated his life to educating children. He had his own unique way of teaching and was a favourite among students. During his teaching career, he served as a vice-chancellor of Andhra University and Banaras Hindu University where he preached his beliefs about education. He also inspired several students as well as teachers with his beliefs.

One of the famous sayings of Radhakrishnan is, "True teachers are those who help us think for ourselves."

Why is 5th September celebrated as Teacher's Day?

When Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was appointed as the second President of India in 1962, his students wanted to celebrate his birthday as a special day and ask for his permission. However, he stated that the day should be celebrated as Teacher's Day honouring their contribution towards educating society. Since then, 5 September has been celebrated as Teacher's Day all across the country.

How is Teacher's Day celebrated?

Teacher's Day is widely celebrated in schools, colleges, and universities where students put up programs for their teachers to pay respect to them. The programs include dance, singing, dramas, recitation, and many more. To make the day more special, the students also give gifts to the teachers to thank them.

However, due to the COVID-19, several schools are now celebrating Teacher's Day virtually. 

(Image Credits: PTI/Shutterstock)