Teachers' Day 2023: Remembering Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, born on September 5, 1888, in a small town in the erstwhile Madras Presidency, was a distinguished philosopher and a renowned teacher.
He was the first Vice President and the second President of independent India.
Studied Philosophy by chance
Dr. Radhakrishnan had studied master's degree in philosophy from Madras Christian College. Interestingly, his journey into the field of philosophy was not a deliberate choice but rather a fortuitous one, as he began studying the subject after receiving philosophy textbooks from a cousin.
A prolific writer
Dr.
Radhakrishnan was also a prolific writer. He authored numerous books on philosophy and religion, including works like «The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore,» «Indian Philosophy,» «The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy,» «Search for Truth,» «Religion, Science, and Culture,» and many more.
One of his significant contributions was bridging the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies. Dr.
Radhakrishnan played a pivotal role in introducing Indian philosophy to the Western world, promoting intercultural understanding through his lectures at renowned universities in the United States and Europe.
His academic journey included representing the University of Calcutta at the Congress of the Universities of the British Empire in 1926 and participating in the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University in the same year. Dr. Radhakrishnan also delivered the Hibbert Lecture on the subject of life's ideals at Manchester College, Oxford, in 1929, which was subsequently published as «An Idealist View of Life.»
Honours
Dr Radhakrishnan received knighthood by King George V during the June 1931 Birthday Honors.
