Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a philosopher and statesman who served as the first Vice President of India from 1952 to 1957. His major philosophical work, The Principal Upanisads is widely praised for its clarity and insightfulness in discussing key issues like Vedanta, Advaita philosophy, Indian culture, society and nationalism.
You can find an essay about Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan for students and youngsters in this post. Early life, education, work, honors, personal life, and death are all covered.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is the subject of an essay (1500 Words)
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served as India’s first Vice-President and second President. He was both a philosopher and a leader in India.
Radhakrishnan received the highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, and the honorary membership award of the British Royal Order in 1963.
Regarding teachers, Radhakrishnan believed that they should utilize their authority to change the nation via their wonderful principles. They should instill this in the minds of children.
Radhakrishnan’s birthday has been celebrated on the 5th of September since 1962. In India, it is observed as Teachers’ Day.
Also see: India’s Teachers Day Celebration
Birth and Education
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5th, 1888, in Tirutani, Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.
He was from a low-income Brahmin family, where his father, Sarvepalli Veeraswami, worked as a zamindari laborer while his mother, Sitamma, took care of the home.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan attended school in both Tirutani, his hometown, and Tirupati. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy.
Radhakrishnan prioritized his education above his family’s financial situation, and he was able to get a number of scholarships to help him pay for his studies.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s education
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a bright student who received several scholarships at the time. He enrolled at Vellore’s Voorhees College when he was 17 years old.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1906. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s M.A. thesis was titled “The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions.”
Dr. Radhakrishnan was appointed as the head-branch of logic at the Madras School in 1909. He was also appointed as a philosophy professor at the University of Mysore. He taught a substantial amount of his philosophical learnings while he was there, giving him the title of educator.
Following his studies in philosophy, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra Pradesh University from 1931 to 1936, and was appointed a renowned professor of eastern religion and morality at the University of Oxford in 1936.
During his tenure, he also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University and Banaras Hindu University.
Education’s Function
Also check out this essay about the value of education.
Of the fact that education alone has the potential to eradicate many of the undesirable evils and vices that exist in our society. People will be in a better position to grasp what differentiates the good from the bad if they are educated and can make an informed and prudent choice.
As a result, it is vital to place a strong focus on providing high-quality education. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s achievements should be emulated by today’s leaders. More legislation should be enacted to ensure that everyone has free access to elementary education.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan believes that if we want our nation to flourish and build a reputation for itself, we must provide education to the young. We need intellectual brains to put our nation on the map and make it count, hence the correct learning attitude should be encouraged.
Teaching is a rewarding profession.
He was awarded an assistant lectureship position at Madras Presidency College after completing his M.A. in education.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had a strong interest in philosophy and was well-versed in topics such as the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Brahma Sutra, and other Hindu philosophical classics.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was not just interested in Hindu philosophy, but also Jain and Buddhist thought. He was named Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore in 1918 and then nominated for the same position at Calcutta University in 1921 as a result of his studies and brilliance in the philosophical area.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s many efforts resulted in Indian Philosophy gaining a prominent position in global history and being respected by everybody. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was often invited to Oxford University to give talks on the same topic.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University and Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University in 1939 as a result of his continual hard work and ingenuity.
He never hesitated to share his love and enthusiasm for philosophy, and he discovered that releasing it as books was the best method to do so. As a result, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan became and is one of the most admired writers of his time.
In 1946 and 1949, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served as ambassador to UNESCO and the Soviet Union, respectively. He was appointed Vice President in 1952 and began his job as a genuine leader of India from that point on, in addition to his other responsibilities.
In the year 1954, Radhakrishnan received the Bharat Ratna award for his commitment and hard work.
His two-term stint as Vice President came to an end in 1962, and he was elected President of India. He chose to retire in 1967 after all of his efforts and exhausting job in order to enjoy a calm life thereafter.
Many instructors and professors who discovered their love in this field looked up to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. He saw teaching as a method to impart knowledge rather than a way to make money.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s philosophy led to his birthday being designated as Teacher’s Day, to remind everyone in the teaching profession of his ideas and struggles.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s Family and Marriage
At the age of 16, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan married Sivakamu. He was the father of five girls and one boy. After 51 years of marriage, his wife passed away in the year 1956.
His Way of Thinking
Dr. Radhakrishnan was one of India’s most ideal and convincing comparative religion and philosophy scholars of the twentieth century. His opposition to Hindu norms has had a significant impact in both India and the West.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s ideas contributed to India’s growth as a nation state in India. His writings bolstered Vedanta’s official standing as “Hinduism’s fundamental worldview.”
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s interpretations of Hindu customs, as well as his emphasis on “deep experience,” made Hinduism more readily accessible to a western audience. It increased Hinduism’s influence on present otherworldliness.
Awards and Accolades
In 1954, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was awarded the Bharat Ratna. He was also nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature over 15 times and won the prize 11 times.
He also wrote a number of quotations that are still recognized today. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, for example, is credited as saying, “When we believe we know, we stop to learn.”
The Indian government awarded Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan the Bharat Ratna. He was also awarded the Templeton Prize by the Templeton Foundation in the United States of America. He was inducted into the British Royal Order of Merit by the British government.
Teacher Appreciation Day
When Radhakrishnan was elected Indian president, a group of colleagues, students, and friends urged him to host a birthday party for them. Instead of a birthday party, he celebrated his birthday on September 5th since it was Teacher’s Day.
Teacher’s Day is celebrated in India by both students and instructors to foster a strong bond between teachers and students. Today, some pupils imitate their instructors’ performances.
He was a fantastic, perceptive, and kind educator who was adored by his pupils. He was always willing to assist and was always there for his pupils. There is no better day to honor our teachers than his birthday, which is designated as Teacher’s Day.
In fact, he had wished that his birthday should be observed as Teacher’s Day instead of any other holiday. Every year, students around the nation commemorate this day and remember his lessons, as he requested.
Teacher’s Day is a national holiday in India, and it is widely observed. Students write cards for their professors, asking for their blessings and thanking them for the wonderful work they do in moulding students’ lives and careers.
Everyone understands how important a teacher is in a student’s development, and we should be grateful to them for shaping us into the people we are today.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan passed away.
Within the religious convictions and ideals, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was one of the most important academics of the twentieth century. He was a staunch supporter of Hindu culture and heritage.
It was exceedingly powerful in India and, as a result, throughout the western hemisphere of the globe. Radhakrishnan’s views aided in the formation of India as a sovereign state. On April 17, 1975, at the age of 86, he died in Chennai.
I hope you enjoyed Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s article.