Teachers’ Day 2021: Importance, history and significance of Teachers’ Day celebration in India

Teachers’ Day 2021, Teachers Day History, Significance and Importance: Dedicated to teachers and the role they play in shaping their students’ lives, every year September 5 is celebrated as Teachers’ Day. The day also commemorates the birth anniversary of scholar and Bharat Ratna recipient Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who was born on the same day in 1888.

A revered academic, Radhakrishnan — also the first vice president and second president of independent India — was born into a Telugu family. He authored the book, The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, he had a master’s degree in philosophy and played a huge role in placing Indian philosophy on the global map. He had a long academic career and taught at Chennai’s Presidency College and Calcutta University, and even served as the Vice Chancellor of Andhra Pradesh University (from 1931-1936). He also taught Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford from 1936, a position he held for 16 years.

Also Read | Matters of the Mind: Teachers, you’ve got this!

Since 1962 — the year he took oath as the President of India — Teacher’s Day is celebrated on his birthday to commemorate his work, something he is believed to have considered a “proud privilege”.

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The day is marked with merriment and different song and dance programmes planned for teachers in schools and colleges. The objective is to remember and remind the crucial role teachers play in moulding students’ lives and careers.

So, with schools gradually reopening after a gap of almost two years, take this occasion to thank your teachers for always being by your side and teaching life values.

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