In India, 5th September is celebrated as Teachers' Day as a mark of tribute to the contribution made by teachers to society.
September 5th is the birth anniversary of a great teacher Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was a staunch believer of education and was a well-known diplomat, scholar, the President of India and above all, a teacher.
When some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday, he said, "instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege, if 5th September is observed as Teachers' day". From then onwards, the 5th of September has been observed as Teachers Day, in India.
In the year 1965, some of the prominent students of Late Dr S. Radhakrishnan organised a gathering to pay obeisance to that Great Teacher of repute.
In that gathering, in his speech Dr Radhakrishnan expressed his deep reservation regarding his birth anniversary celebration and emphasised that his birth anniversary should be celebrated as 'Teachers' Day', by paying homage to other Great Teachers of India and Bangladesh.
Since the year 1967, 5th September is celebrated as Teachers' Day till date.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who was one of his closest friends throughout, had many great things to say about Dr. 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 her President. That in itself shows the kind of men we honour and respect."
Also read:
- Teaching is not a profession, a way of life: Narendara Modi
- Happy Teacher's Day - Quotes
- Teachers' Day: Tips to make the D-Day Special
- Teachers Day Speech: Sample Speech for Students in English & Hindi
On Teacher's day, students across India dress up as their teachers and take lectures in classes that are assigned to the teachers they represent. Sometimes, teachers sit in their classes as students, trying to relive the time when they themselves were students.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, in a middle class family in the pilgrim town of Tirutani. His father, it is said, did not want his son to learn English, instead wanted him to become a priest.
However, the talents of the boy were so outstanding that he was sent to school at Thirupati and then Vellore. Later, he joined the Christian College, Madras, and studied philosophy. Drawn by accident into philosophy, Radhakrishnan by his confidence, concentration and strong convictions went on to become a great philosopher.
He was an evocative teacher, exceedingly popular among his students right from his early days as a professor at Presidency College, Madras. He was offered the professorship in Calcutta University when he was less than 30 years old. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. In 1939, he was appointed the Vice Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University.
Two years later, he took over the Sir Sayaji Rao Chair of Indian Culture and Civilisation in Banaras. In 1952, Dr. Radhakrishnan was chosen to be the Vice President of the Republic of India and in 1962, he was made the Head of the State for five years.
Teachers Day Importance
Every year, Teachers Day is celebrated on September 5th with great pomp. The birth anniversary of S Radhakrishnan is dedicated to appreciating the efforts and services of teachers. On this students can thank their teachers for guiding them to taste the success. It is the responsibility of every student to thank and shower gratitude on this special occasion.
Teachers Day Celebration Ideas 2021
Every student should not miss the Teachers Day celebration because it is the only way to show gratitude for their service. There are various ways to thank your Guru on September 5th. Below we have shared the best teachers day celebration ideas.
- Sending a greeting card is the best and simple way to thank the teacher.
- Deliver a motivational or inspirational speech on teachers.
- Penning beautiful lines on your favourite teachers.
- Throwing a party to your teacher along with his/her family
- Send a unique gift. This will surely be there with them throughout their life in their home.
Relation Between Teacher and Student
As every year, the day to wish teachers is nearby. It is the occasion to remember teachers and applaud their contribution towards overall development of the student.
On the eve of Teachers' Day CareerIndia has come out with a video which says about the bonding between Teachers' and Students