Teachers Day 2020 Image: Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birth anniversary on September 5
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Birth Anniversary: Tributes are pouring in on Twitter on the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan today. The former president's birth anniversary is observed as Teachers' Day in India. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a philosopher, scholar and politician who dedicated his life towards education and the youth of the country. "Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers' Day," Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had said, and the tradition of celebrating Teachers' Day started from 1962 in the country, in honour of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, in a middle class family in Thiruthani, Tamil Nadu. Dr Radhakrishnan taught at various colleges - from University of Mysore to University of Calcutta and was also the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University, Delhi University as well as Banaras Hindu University. He was the first Indian to hold a chair at the University of Oxford - the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics (1936-1952).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and wrote: "We remain grateful to the hardworking teachers for their contributions towards shaping minds and building our nation. On Teachers Day, we express gratitude to our teachers for their remarkable efforts. We pay tributes to Dr. S. Radhakrishnan on his Jayanti."
"Tributes to an iconic thinker and erudite scholar, former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his Jayanti...," Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on social media.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in his tribute to Dr Radhakrishnan on Teachers' Day tweeted, "According to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, 'The end product of education should be a free creative man , who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities of nature...'"
"On the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, congratulations and best wishes to all on Teachers' Day," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar posted on the microblogging site.
Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, paid homage to Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on social media.
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in the country in 1954. His works include Indian Philosophy, (1923-27), The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924), An Idealist View of Life (1932), Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939), and East and West: Some Reflections (1955)