Teachers' Day 2025: 7 interesting facts about Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an icon and a great philosopher, who brought transformational reforms in the field of education in India. And so, remembering and honouring him, every year on the 5th of September, the day Dr. Radhakrishnan was born, Teacher’s Day is celebrated. Here are some interesting facts about the second President of India , Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.


Early life and education
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5th September 1888 in a middle-class family in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruttani. His childhood significantly revolved around spiritual beliefs and was noticeable throughout the span of his life. His education in early stages expanded from Kendriya Vidyalaya to Mission Schools. Radhakrishnan’s father Sarvepalli Veeraswami, a revenue officer, wanted his son to become a priest, but the future reformer had other plans and interests. He pursued his bachelor’s and master's degree in Philosophy. Radhakrishnan chose this field because he received books free of cost from one of his cousins. His dedication towards learning made him one the greatest academicians of India.

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Higher education and life as a teacher
At the age of 16, Dr Radhakrishnan joined the Madras Christian College for his Bachelor’s degree. As an exceptional student, Radhakrishnan would always get scholarships to support his academics. Radhakrishnan wanted to pursue higher education in Mathematics, but financial constraints didn’t let him do so. He had to choose philosophy as a major because one of his cousins graduated from the same field and would lend him his books. He graduated with a masters degree in philosophy from the same college in 1907. After two years, Radhakrishnan started his career as a teacher, but a remarkable achievement knocked his door in the year 1929, when he was invited as a guest lecturer in Oxford’s Manchester college. He even served as the vice chancellor of Banaras Hindu University for nine years.

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His extraordinary journey: From a teacher to becoming the President of IndiaFrom a Professor at Oxford to the Vice President and then the President of India, Dr Radhakrishnan’s political tenure is remembered till date. He served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967. After a successful academic career, Radhakrishnan entered the international stage as a representative of India before he entered Politics. In 1947, he represented India at UNESCO and strengthened its vision of promoting education, culture and science around the globe. Throughout his tenure as the President, Radhakrishnan was recognized as a man who ensured justice and integrity in governance.

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Dr Radhakrishnan’s selfless request to his students

Dr Radhakrishnan's simplicity can be identified by one of the incidents that marked the existence of teacher’s day. In 1962, during his presidential tenure, Radhakrishnan’s students came to seek permission to celebrate his birthday. In his response, the president made a selfless request and asked the students to celebrate Teacher’s Day-- to honour and thank all the teachers and their immense contributions in our lives-- instead of his birthday. Since then, each year the 5th of September is observed and celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India.

Some books written by Dr RadhakrishnanRanging from education to religion and spirituality, books written by Dr Radhakrishnan express his immense knowledge. He was highly influenced by Rabindranath Tagore. His book ‘The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’ explores Tagore’s idea of a global citizen. Another book ‘Living with a Purpose’ reflects the life of 14 freedom fighters of India and how they brought a significant change in shaping India’s destiny. Radhakrishnan’s highly philosophical book ‘Faith Renewed’ challenges readers to seek answers within themselves of the questions we ask to the universe.

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Dr Radhakrishnan and his nominations for the Nobel PrizeIn 1954, Dr Radhakrishnan was awarded the Bharat Ratna, for his remarkable contribution in the field of education and philosophy. According to the nomination archive of The Nobel Prize, Dr. Radhakrishnan was nominated 27 times for the Nobel Prize! He was also recognized for his efforts to promote Indian culture in the Western countries.


Personal life and familyDr Radhakrishnan was married to Sivakamu in 1903, and had four daughters and a son. His son, Sarvepalli Gopal, became a notable historian and serves as the director of external affairs. He also worked closely with the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, a recognized scholar of the 20th century, was a man of virtue and vision. He was a boy who came from the roots of India and became the man who spread Indian culture to the Western communities. He will always be remembered as the great teacher who brought reforms.

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