Sir Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan whose birthday is celebrated as Teachers Day in IndiaSeptember 5, the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India and a great teacher, is celebrated as the Teacher’s Day in India. When Dr. Radhakrishnan became the president of India in 1962, some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate 5th September, his “birthday”. In reply, Dr. Radhakrishnan said, “instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ day”. The request showed Dr.Radhakrishnan’s love for the teaching profession. From then onwards, the day has been observed as Teachers’ Day in India.

Teachers’ Day Celebrations

In some countries, Teachers’ Days are intended to be special days for the appreciation of teachers. Some of them are holidays while others are celebrated during working days. Teacher’s Day in India is a tribute to the hard work that is put by the teacher all year long to educate a child.  Teachers and students report to school as usual but the usual activities and classes are replaced by activities of celebration, thanks and remembrance. At some schools on this day, the responsibility of teaching is taken up by the senior students as an appreciation for their teachers. They go to the junior classes, teach the subjects of their choice and try to maintain discipline as their teachers would have. In a lecture or two, the students and teachers interact in the auditorium and exchange messages of wisdom, knowledge and success. On this particular day, teachers are made to feel how important they really are, to the students who’ll become the citizens of tomorrow and hold the key to the future of the nation.

Who is a Teacher? What is Education?

This is a question that has been bothering me since my senior secondary certification days. Things aren’ better today, nor do I hold the hope that they’ll get better in the near future. This question bothers me because I don’t know the answer is false. I know and understand it well. But the said part is that those who implement education in India don’t understand it. The controllers of the Indian Education System don’t get it.

Who is a teacher? What is Education?
I’ll quote an excerpt from the Indian President, A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s address on the eve of Teachers’ Day in India , 2003.

…I am reminded of my childhood days when I was studying in 8th class at the age of 13. I had a teacher, Shri Siva Subramania Iyer. He was one of the very good teachers in our school. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was teaching about a bird’s flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. For nearly 25 minutes he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag, how the birds fly in a formation of 10, 20 or 30. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how birds fly. I said, I did not understand. When I said this, the teacher asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students said that they also did not understand. He did not get upset by our response since he was a committed teacher.

Our teacher said that he would take all of us to the sea shore. That evening the whole class was at the sea shore of Rameswaram. We enjoyed the roaring sea waves knocking at the sandy hills in the pleasant evening. Birds were flying with sweet chirping voice. He showed the sea birds in formations of 10 to 20 numbers. We saw the marvelous formations of birds with a purpose and we were all amazed. He showed us the birds and asked us to see that when the birds fly, what they looked like. We saw the wings flapping. He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wings and twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the direction they desired. Then he asked us a question, “Where the engine is and how it is powered”?

The bird is powered by its own life and the motivation of what it wants. All these things were explained to us within fifteen minutes. We all understood the dynamics from this practical example. How nice it was. Our teacher was a great teacher; he could give us a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example available in nature. This is real teaching. I am sure many of the teachers in schools and colleges will follow this example…

Teachers plant seeds of knowledge that grow forever

…In an integrated way it can be said, that any enlightened human being can be created by three unique characteristics. One is moral value system. That I got from my father the hard way. Secondly, the teacher becoming a role model. Not only does the student learn, but the teacher shapes his life with great dreams and aims. Finally, the education and learning process has to culminate in the creation of professional capability leading to confidence and will power to make a design, to make a product, to make a system, bravely combating many problems…

When we are kids, or we are young and wild, or old.. When we are watching the birds fly.. When we are sitting in the park listening to what the silent nature says.. Whether we are reading a news item in a newspaper or a blog post on the internet.. WE ARE ALWAYS LEARNING some thing or the other at all points of our life. I just wish all your teachers are so good and make you a better human being at each turn.

Happy Learning. Happy Teachers Day.

110 thoughts on “September 5, Teachers Day in India

  1. Teachers’ day is one of the essential days of the year.Surely we have to devote our thanks to teachers but now-a-days education is becoming a business.Teachers and stundents should have to maintain a good relationship.Teacher’s job doesn’t end with teaching the subject in the books but also explaing them how to face difficulties in the real life.

    Anyways !!! HAPPY TEACHERS’DAY !!!

  2. I really like d quote u said..today a day where teacher dont follows their duties….and student also lazy and dont try to undrstand the topic and never say to teacher to repeat that one…so i think every one should have got their duties……

  3. Teacher is like a tree where a creepers could get support and let the creeper grow to a full maturity. As i can say, im here today is all because of my dedicated teachers who influence me, guide me, motivate me in the right path. Not to forget to mention that i have numbers of teachers: my parents and my elders WHO PLAYS GREAT ROLE, to my life.

  4. chronology of Savitribai phule’s life
    1841 Begins informal education at home.
    1846-47 Passed third and fourth year examination from Normal school.
    1847 trained as a teacher from Ahmednagar.
    01-01-1848 Country’s first school for girls was started at Bhide’s Wada in Pune and Savitribai was nominated as the first head mistress of the school.
    1849 helps Jotirao and his friends in establishing more schools at Pune, Satara. Ahmednagar.
    1849 School for adults is started at Usman Sheikh’s Wada in Pune. Left home with Jotirao for educating Shudra and Ati Shudra’s
    1852 Establishes two more schools.
    1852 Gets Model Teacher’s award.
    1852 Organizes First Public Til-Gul Programme in the name of Mahila Seva Mandal.
    01-05-1852 First school of the country for untouchables is opened.
    1854 Publishes “Kabya Phule”, her collection of poetry.
    1855 Establishes a night-school for workers and peasants.
    1856 Edits and publishes a collection of Jotirao’s speeches
    1868 Opens the household water-tank to untouchables.
    24-09-1873 Actively participates in the foundation of Satyshodak Samaj.
    1874 Adopts Yashwant, the son of a Brahman widow.
    1875-77 Leads Satyshodhak volunteers to help famine–affected people and started 52 free food hostels in western Maharashtra.
    1893 Takes over leadership of Satyshodhak Samaj, elected its president in the conference held at Saswad
    1896 Works intensely during another famine
    10-03-1897 Dies while serving plague-affected people

    Why Teacher’s day should be celebrated on Dr. Radhakrishnan birth anniversary?

  5. I like my Tamil and Chemistry teacher. He is my light of education, helpful towards poor students and my role model in my life. Wish you a Happy Teacher’s Day!

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