He liked to be remembered as a teacher

On September 5, the whole nation celebrates Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's birthday as "The Teachers' Day". On the day,all Indians from Kashmir to Kanyakumari recall the most glorious services Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan as a teacher,scholar, educationist, philosopher, statesman, administrator, profound thinker, writer, orator, diplomat ,visionary, ambassador, Vice-president and President of India rendered to Mother India and pay rich, glowing tributes to this great world-teacher and philosopher-king.

Teachers on this glorious day are facilitated in schools, colleges and universities by students as a mark of their gratitude to their teachers for their noble services. State and Central governments honor the teachers for their significant contribution to their profession and the field of education.

It is the day for teachers to draw inspiration from the great world-teacher and rededicate themselves to the mission of imparting knowledge knowledge to the young, enlightening the tender minds and guiding them on the right track to help them reach their set-goals and realize their cherished-dreams. For the young pupils, it is the day on which they recognize, appreciate and admire the most invaluable services of their teachers and perform "Guru puja" with veneration and piety.

How did Dr.Radhakrishnan's birthday come to be celebrated as the teachers' day? Though Radhakrishnan's was a multi-faceted personality and he occupied the higher positions in his life,culminating in the country's highest position, The President of India, Radhakrishnan through out his life had great love for teaching and he always loved to be a teacher.

Even as the vice-chancellor of various universities in the country, he never missed the opportunities to be among youth as their teacher admired and regarded so much by them. Performing his role quite successfully as the ambassador of Russia, he as the scholarly-teacher impressed the Russian dictator"Stalin" so much with his erudition and eloquence and won his love, admiration and esteem for his scholarship.

Later, as the Vice-president and President of India, he guided the nation very well and demonstrated not only to his mother-country, but also to the entire world, the profound wisdom, erudition, knowledge, culture, humanity, humility and nobility of a world-teacher through the voice of an able-statesman.

After relinquishing the office of the President of India ,he was asked by journalists," How would you like to be remembered by the country?'" Radhakrishnan answered" I would like to be remembered as a teacher". Some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday.

In response to their wish, Radhakrishnan said," Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5th is observed as Teachers' Day. These two incidents clearly reveal his passion for teaching and his wish to be remembered as a teacher by the people of India.

Radhakrishnan believed in the noble principle of "simple living and high thinking" which is the essential trait of a true teacher and he implemented this principle in his life. Even though he occupied the highest positions like Vice-President and President of India, he never sought after a life of luxuries..

When he was the President of India, he accepted only Rs.2,500 out of Rs.10,000 paid to him as the salary of the President of India and donated the remaining amount to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund every month. He led a simple life and remained a humble person despite being in the elevated position.

As a great teacher and visionary educationist, Radhakrishnan was of the opinion that only the right kind of education could solve many ills of the society and the country. To him. teaching is neither a profession nor a trade, but a calling and a mission. In his view ,'" teachers should be the best minds of the country; they should not merely instruct, but should gain the true affection of pupils and the respect for teachers can not be ordered, but it should be earned .

At a time when the state and central governments are thinking of reforms in our education-system, the ideas, views, opinions, ideals, convictions and vision of Dr.Radhakrishnan should be taken into the educational reforms so that our education, freed from the age-long ills,will be meaningful and purposeful and India will become the well-developed country-a super power in the world.

By: Dr.Venugopala Rao Kaki