Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a great teacher and philosopher of India. The linchpin of the Plato’s ‘Ideal State’ was the ‘philosopher ruler’. According to Plato, only a philosopher ruler can bring real happiness to both the society and the individual. This was because a philosopher by his Idea of Good would be able to administer justice and act for the good of the community
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a great teacher and philosopher of India. He was an Idealistic philosopher. The linchpin of the Plato’s ‘Ideal State’ was the ‘philosopher ruler’. According to Plato, only a philosopher ruler can bring real happiness to both the society and the individual. This was because a philosopher by his Idea of Good would be able to administer justice and act for the good of the community. For D. R. Bali Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the philosopher king of the Indian Republic as he became the President of India in 1962 till 1967.
Dr. Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, at Tirutani of Madras. The 5th of September has been celebrated as Teachers’ Day every year since 1962 to show honour and respect the contribution of the teachers. He was a great teacher prior to he was elected as the President of India. In 1962, when the Students of DR. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan wanted to celebrate his birthday, he asked his students to celebrate the day, not as his birthday, but as Teachers’ Day.Since then the 5th of September has been celebrated as Teachers’ Day.
As a great teacher, he could easily understand the national education system in all its aspects. He was of the opinion that education must become an instrument of social, economic, and cultural change. In a country like India with diversity, education system should infuse the spirit of oneness. He, therefore, gave emphasis on fostering moral and spiritual values in education system.He also opined that education should not only be broad but it should also be deep. Only factual information or patchwork of knowledge will not bring wisdom, which is the supreme need of the time.
Dr.Radhakrishnan expressed unhappiness over more emphasis on books and examination. He advocated all-round development of the child. He was the Chairman of the University Education Commission (1948-49) where special emphasis was given to make compulsory moral education for all children. At the same time Dr. Radhakrishnan believed that education system must find its guiding principles in the aims of social order for which it prepares, and in the nature of civilization it hopes to build.
Dr. Radhakrishnan advocated that education is a great instrument of social emancipation. It strengthens democracy to establish, preserve, and protect the spirit of equal freedom and equal rights among men, regardless of race, religion, sex, occupation or economic status. Therefore, he says that our education should encourage the development of fearlessness of mind, strength of conscience and integrity of purpose. Thus he gave special emphasis on education of women. The education of women should be considered on a humanistic plan rather than on a physiological basis. In his view, women are the true indices of peace, self-sacrifice, and cultural and social development of every society.
Dr.Radhakrishnan laid special emphasis on the role of the teacher in the process of real education. In his words, “The teacher is the favourite God of India, who is at once human and divine. He is the God of beauty and love.” To him, a teacher has to give his best to the students. The greatest stress has to be laid on the quality of education which is imparted. All other considerations should have a second place.
Some great works of Dr. Radhakrishnan
- The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore
- Indian – Philosophy
- The Hindu View of Life
- An Idealist View of Life
- Future of Civilization
- Gautama- The Buddha
- Education, Politics and War
- Bhagvadgita
- The Recovery of Faith
- My Search for Truth
- The Concept of Man
- Religion and Society
This great Indian teacher, educationist and philosopher passed away in 1975.
References:
- Modern Indian Thought – by D.R. Bali
- A History Of Political Thought , Plato to Marx – by Mukherjee and Ramaswamy
- Teacher in Emerging Indian Society –by Safaya, Shaida and Shukla
Photos: Wikimedia Commons