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. my dad used to say that those that can’t do, teach. that might be true for some people but i was just thinking the other day about teachers that shaped my life, and so something you can definitely say is teachers turn people into doers.

  2. My gf is a teacher and they deserve a ton of credit. They dont get told thanks enough. Great post.

  3. Recognition of the importance of education and those who are its dedicated servants seem to prove effective results in nations such as China and India where this investment in their future will do more than anything else to facilitate their standing as global economic superpowers of the 21st century.

  4. Nice day to give tribute to great teachers in india…
    in our College we use to cele brate this day praise every teacher and pay them great thanks

  5. Pingback: Happy Teacher’s Day! September 5, 2009 | Srinivasu.org
  6. The best teachers I know have a deep understanding of what they teach, and explain the truth to their students straightforwardly and lovingly. Truth without love is an irritant, but love without truth has no foundation and collapses under pressure.

    Clear truth married with unselfish love to others makes for a great teacher!

  7. I really found the Gurus in India very fascinating. They have this high level of spiritualism and stuff.
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  8. Teacher’s day in INDIA it celebrate like a great day for all teachers,they all seems like a respected post.

  9. Great Post. I realize the importance of teachers in my life and can totally appreciate their value. From what I was in my junior school, I transformed into a mature adult courtesy my teachers at school. To this date I acknowledge their contribution and it can never be enough.

    Thanks for sharing…! 🙂

  10. We here in NZ celebrate teachers day on October 30th the same day of world teachers day. Teachers lay the foundation for the future nation and its one of the profession looked with high esteem and dignity by fellow civilians. I thank my teachers this day.
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  11. Teachers days was mostly celebrated in most countries. The celebration aims to recognize the teachers for giving their time to shape the talents of their students. I’m very thankful for my teachers for they teaches me well.

  12. Recognition of the importance of education and those who are its dedicated servants seem to prove effective results in nations such as China and India where this investment in their future will do more than anything else to facilitate their standing as global economic superpowers of the 21st century.

  13. Education and Teaching should bee on first place, great news, thank you
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  14. the education system will be the biggest hurdle. The shortage of teachers is a clear issue and appreciation needs to be granted to this profession.

  15. It seems that other countries have a great esteem for their teachers more than we do here in the United States. Teachers are valued here but are often under appreciated where is sometimes may count: compensation. I am a parent involved with my children’s school and now I am compelled to find out what our district does to celebrate Teacher’s Day… if we do it at all. I did ask one of my kid’s teachers what they would appreciate. Simply, she, said a parent coming up to her and saying what a difference she has made on the student makes her day.

  16. Without a teacher no one becomes an engineer, nurse, accountant, programmer, librarian and all other professionals that are usually in a companies or establishments or even in their own businesses…
    Teachers are our mentors/educators… They did a great job in our society..
    Yes, I do agree if we will call or treat them as our second parents.

    I salute all the teachers in the world!!!!Thanks to you!!!
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  17. An anonymous author once wrote: “A good teacher is like a candle which consumes itself to light the way for others.” I know how teachers work hard to educate their students, not only about academic subjects but also about life. People must not also forget that behind every successful student is a great teacher who has helped the student achieves his dreams.
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  18. Yeah I guess the teachers of this world should get a day dedicated to them :D. Only one though 😛
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  19. Great article…I personally think that everyone should know the importance of Teachers day.It will be really good for all if they celebrate it with great enthusiasm and courage and the feeling will also be very nice.

  20. My teacher gave us an assignment based on the study tour to gwalior (in india) we had made this year in september. she has given us a set of topics that have to be included in the written project.thanks…
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  21. So far, in the history of India, teaching in the villages is one of the major occupations for which we have not yet developed that make an average person capable of competence and performance. And who wants it? For if the poor is not poor in knowledge, awareness steps in. Awareness is bothersome, ignorance is painless!The job is undoubtedly easy
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  22. I still see my teachers from long past, and they still have that motherly outlook. I was blessed to have such a great set of teachers and mentors that looked out for me.
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  23. If your teacher is a guru, someone who has directly experienced spirit and God, then there is so much to learn from his/her words and presence. Just sitting in their darshan is a blessing. Thank God for teachers.

  24. Great post. The importance of teacher in our life can not be ignored. A teacher makes us successful by guiding us to a right path.

  25. After a father, A Teacher stands first position in a student life because teachers teach the student how to face the barriers of life. And teachers also help to grow up their student in real life.

  26. Good teacher is the inspiring body which molds the wrong way to right direction and enlighten the little hearts

  27. TEACHER means
    T – Talented
    E – Educated
    A – Adorable
    C – Charming
    H – Helpful
    E – Encouraging
    R – Responsible
    and I think that’s true

  28. The great post posted from the core of heart by a true student to a true teacher.Teachers are categorized in two ways: Teacher by heart and Teacher by chance. The first category teachers are like Dr Kalam’s teacher I bow my head to them.

  29. Hears special
    thank you
    for making me
    what am to day
    you made a wonder full difference
    in my life
    happy teachers day

  30. A TEACHER SHOULD BE “A KEEN OBSERVER OF SOCIETY” AND HE OR SHE SHOULD STIMULATE THE STUDENTS TO KEEP UP OR TO SHIFT THE SOCIETY IN A RIGHT PATH.

  31. Guru govind dou khade kake lagu pau..Bali hari guru aapne govind diyo batay these r some precious lines by kabir according to this if i have to choose bet my teacher and my lord i would choose my teacher coz it was my teacher who taught me abt god and his presence

  32. No doubt Teaching is a noble profession. Only those who want to be life long students should take up this profession, or else they become stale and not very much useful to the student community. Hats off to all good teachers.

  33. Teaching is a highly rewarding experience, spiritually and financially. As a teacher, I have had the opportunity to be a part of so many lives; that sometimes I feel humbled by the sheer number of students who still remember to wish me on my b’day and Teacher’s Day. God bless them all! I have lived a full life due to my profession.

  34. i remember my english teacher . How i wish icould get achance to meet her just to tell her and thank her for what a change she has brought in my life.

  35. One can never repay the debts of a teacher.They sow the seed of energy,curiosity and willpower in our minds.Today myself being a teacher,I understand how difficult it is to perform this role of friend,philosopher and guide

  36. A Million Beautiful Days
    Would Not Be Too Many And
    A Million Knowledge
    Would Be To Few To Express About Your Teachings
    I Thanks God For Giving Me Such A Teacher Like U
    The Teacher is a feature of Child because Teacher build the
    Confidence and also build the mind of feature of India

  37. Teachers have an influencing role in the life of every student. They are like beacons of light, guiding us in the formative years of our life. teacher is like a candle that always inspire us to his light to consumes itself .in another words we can say that teacher is like a god and creater of world. Teachers mould us and in the process and shape our future. What we learn from our teachers remains with us, throughout our life. However, very often, we fail to show our appreciation and gratitude for their altruistic devotion. Teachers do need encouragement and support from the community to feel that their efforts are being recognized. To serve the purpose, Teacher’s Day is celebrated throughout the world, year by year. By celebrating National Teacher’s Day, we thank our teachers for providing us their invaluable guidance.

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