Teachers' Day 2023: 5 Famous Teachers and Their Impact on the World!

TEACHERS’ DAY 2023: It is rightly said that schools are like our second homes, where teachers are our guardians. The contribution of a teacher to the lives of students is something unparalleled. They not only impart lessons about subjects but also prepare the students for real-life challenges. Teachers scold us when we make mistakes but also help us identify our weaknesses and recognise our strengths, morphing us into better human beings. Celebrating the hard work and dedication of teachers, every year, the world celebrates Teacher’s Day on September 5.

In India, this special occasion also commemorated the birth anniversary of former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan — a renowned academic, educator, and passionate supporter of education. On the occasion of Teacher’s Day, let us have a look at some of the greatest teachers of India, whose wisdom and contributions are still remembered fondly by us.

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a strong advocate of educating the youth in the country for a better future ahead. After pursuing a Master’s degree in philosophy from Madras Christian College, Radhakrishnan started teaching students at the Madras Presidency College. The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, Indian Philosophy, and The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy are just a few of the publications he authored on philosophy.

Radhakrishnan made India proud speaking on behalf of the University of Calcutta at the Congress of the Universities of the British Empire in June 1926. He took part in the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University in September of the same year.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

Despite being the President of India in 2002, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam proclaimed himself to be a teacher first before anything else. He was an honorary guest lecturer at IIM Shillong, Ahmedabad. At the presentation of the National Award to Teachers in 2004, Dr Kalam highlighted the fact that education is a process that fosters creativity. He relied on teachers to teach youths to think for themselves and solve the issues that our nation faced for a strong and independent India.

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Rabindranath Tagore

Although we remember Rabindranath Tagore as a respected poet, his contribution to education is in no way less significant. Tagore started a school in Shantiniketan in 1901, which is now known as Vishwabharati School. The Nobel Prize winner was dedicated to bringing people closer to nature because he thought that the natural world has much more to teach than what can be learned in a classroom or in books. Classes at his school were frequently held under the shade of trees.

Savitribai Phule

Savitribai Phule, who assisted in founding the first girls’ school in India, paved the way for other marginalized groups of society as well as girls to have access to education. Together with her husband Jyotirao Phule, she established India’s first school for females and became the country’s first female teacher in 1848. She also worked actively for the upliftment of women, standing up against gender-based violence.

Swami Vivekananda

“Education is the manifestation of perfection already in men” were the words said by Swami Vivekananda. He was the driving force behind the Ramakrishna Mission, which encouraged monks and common men to engage in philanthropic activities. He emphasised the importance of being a good human first, empowering students to deal with difficult situations and transform them into responsible citizens.