Teacher’s Day is finally here and like every year it will be observed on September 5. The day celebrates the bond of student-teachers and on this day the students honour their teachers for their contributions.

The day commemorates the birth anniversary of the second President of India, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He is well-known for his notable work as a scholar, teacher, and philosopher. He always emphasised education and encouraged the youth to shape their worlds with the power of education.

Dr Radhakrishnan was just not a teacher but was widely recognised as one of the most respected Indian thinkers of the 20th century.

On the occasion of Teachers Day 2021, here are 5 major takeaways from the life story of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan:

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1. Dr Radhakrishnan chose philoshophy for his MA degree. The reason behind his decision were the free textbooks he got from a cousin. His father wanted him to become a priest at a temple after he completes his school education. However, he bagged a scholarship from the Madras Christian College and pursued BA in 1906. The philospher was initially opting for physical sciences for his masters degree. At the end, he chose Philosophy because he got free textbooks from a cousin who had just graduated in the subject. Later, he fell in love with the subject.
2. The famous Indian thinker once greeted Chairman Mao Zedong with a pat on the cheek. Radhakrishnan was on a visit to China in September 1957 as India’s Vice President. After shaking hands with the Chinese Chairman, he patted on his cheeks. He went on to say, “Mr Chairman, don’t be alarmed, I did the same to Stalin and the Pope!”
3. Apart from being a stern headmaster, Radhakrishnan had a great sense of humour. When the king of Greece came on a state visit to India in 1962, Radhakrishnan welcomed him saying, “Your Majesty, you are the first king of Greece to come as our guest. Alexander came uninvited! ”
4. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature for five consecutive years. He won several prestigious awards including Bharat Ratna in 1954. He was also awarded with the Templeton Prize in 1975 for promoting the notion of a universal reality of God that embraced love and wisdom for all people.
5. When Radhakrishnan held the position of India’s President, he had accepted Rs 2,500 out of Rs 10,000 salary and donated the remaining amount to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund every month.

The post Happy Teachers’ Day 2021: Some lessons that you need to learn from the life story of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan appeared first on APN News.