Honouring Teachers, Honouring Truth

A Tribute to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (ICC Blog # 115)

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Every year, on 5th September, India celebrates Teachers’ Day—not merely as a ceremonial occasion, but as a living tribute to the transformative power of education. The date marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, one of India’s most luminous minds—philosopher, teacher, statesman—whose life continues to illuminate the path for educators across generations.

A Life of Learning and Service

Born in 1888 in Tiruttani, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan rose from modest beginnings to become a foremost interpreter of Indian philosophy. His journey led from Madras Christian College to professorships at the Universities of Mysore and Calcutta, and ultimately to Oxford as the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics. A prolific writer, he built intellectual bridges between East and West while advocating India’s civilizational heritage with clarity and grace.

His public life was equally distinguished. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University and Banaras Hindu University; represented India at UNESCO; and later served as Ambassador to the Soviet Union. He went on to become the Republic’s first Vice President (1952–62) and second President (1962–67). The Bharat Ratna (1954) and Britain’s Order of Merit (1963) acknowledged a stature that was both national and global.

The Origin of Teachers’ Day

Despite his towering achievements, Radhakrishnan remained deeply humble. When students and admirers proposed celebrating his birthday, he suggested instead:

“Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5th is observed as Teachers’ Day.” —Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

With that grace-note, a personal milestone became a national tradition—one that honours teachers not only as instructors but as builders of character and conscience.

Beyond Instruction: The Deeper Purpose of Education

As we celebrate Teachers’ Day, we must also confront a quiet drift in our educational priorities. In a world increasingly defined by metrics, rankings, and rapid up-skilling, it is easy to mistake means for ends. The prime objective of education is not credentialing; it is truth-seeking.

Education, at its heart, nurtures the courage to ask questions—questions that challenge assumptions, interrogate norms, and expand the boundaries of human understanding.

“The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.” —Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

This principle is not just philosophical—it was political too. During the Constituent Assembly debates, Radhakrishnan reminded fellow framers that the Republic’s future depended on education that liberated the mind.

Radhakrishnan in the Constituent Assembly: Education and Secularism

As a member of the Constituent Assembly, Radhakrishnan made interventions that still resonate today—particularly on religious instruction in education and the idea of a secular civic identity.

During discussions on what became Article 28 (religious instruction in State-funded schools), he pressed for precision:

“Does this term ‘recognized by or receiving aid from’ include or exclude institutions wholly maintained by the State?” —Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Constituent Assembly, 30 Aug 1947

His concern was clear: while denominational institutions should have space to preserve identity, State-maintained schools had to embody neutrality. This careful balancing act became part of the final constitutional framework on education.

Earlier, in the Objectives Resolution debate of December 1946, he struck an even broader note:

“We are all Indians first, and our nationalism must be stronger than any sectional loyalties.”—Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Constituent Assembly, Dec 1946

Here, Radhakrishnan was not only framing citizenship, but also laying down the ethos for education in a plural society: to build a national identity that transcends religion or region.

A Humble Request to Teachers

On this Teachers’ Day, a simple appeal to fellow educators:

Let us go beyond instruction.

Let us be mentors who spark inquiry, not just mastery.

Let us design classrooms where students feel safe to question—content, methods, and assumptions.

Let us aim to form not only competent learners, but honest seekers of truth.

This is not an abandonment of rigour—it is its deepening. Whether we teach literature or engineering, commerce or history, our greatest gift is not the transfer of information but the cultivation of independent thought.

Planting Seeds of Transformation

India stands at a crossroads where tradition meets innovation, where demographic energy must be matched by intellectual depth. Our students are not merely future professionals. They are future thinkers, leaders, and conscience-keepers. If we want them to build a better world, we must first help them see it clearly—and question it bravely.

Radhakrishnan held that “the true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.” His life was a testament to that ideal. To honour him is to embody it—to make our classrooms laboratories of curiosity, courage, and care.

In Gratitude and Hope

To every teacher, mentor, and parent who has ever sparked a question, challenged a norm, or nurtured a student’s voice—thank you. You are the custodians of India’s intellectual and moral future. This Teachers’ Day, may we honour not just the title, but the responsibility of being a teacher.