sarvepalli radhakrishnan biography in english

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography

Who was Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a scholar, politician, philosopher, and statesman from India. He served as India's first Vice President and second President. Radhakrishnan spent his life and career as a writer attempting to describe, defend, and propagate his faith, which he referred to variously as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit. He wanted to show that his Hinduism was philosophically sound as well as ethically viable. He often seems to be at ease in both Indian and Western philosophical contexts, and he draws on both Western and Indian sources in his prose. As a result, Radhakrishnan has been hailed as a symbol of Hinduism to the West in academic circles.

In this biography of Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan, we will learn about his early life and family, his education, his career as a teacher, his political life, and his death.

The Early Life of Sarvepalli RadhaKrishnan

In this section, we will learn about When was Radhakrishnan born, his parents, and his family background.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's date of birth was 5th September 1888.

He was born to a Telugu-speaking Niyogi Brahmin family in Tiruttani, Madras Presidency, British India which is present-day Tamil Nadu, India.

His father’s name was Sarvepalli Veeraswami who was a subordinate revenue official in the service of a local zamindar and his mother’s name was Sarvepalli Sita.

His family is from Sarvepalli village in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district. He grew up in the towns of Thiruttani and Tirupati.

Throughout his academic career, Radhakrishnan earned various scholarships.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Education

His primary education was at Thiruttani's K.V High School. In 1896, he transferred to Tirupati's Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School and Walajapet's Government High Secondary School.

For his high school education, he enrolled at Vellore's Voorhees College. At the age of 17, he enrolled in Madras Christian College after finishing his First of Arts class. He earned his bachelor's degree and his master's degree from the same institution in 1906.

"The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions," Sarvepalli wrote for his bachelor's degree thesis. It was written in response to the accusation that the Vedanta scheme had no place for ethics. Rev. William Meston and Dr. Alfred George Hogg, two of Radhakrishnan's professors, praised his dissertation. When Radhakrishnan was only twenty years old, his thesis was published.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Family

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was married to Sivakamu at the age of 16.

Sivakamu was Radha Krishnan’s distant cousin.

Radhakrishnan and Sivakamu were happily married for over 51 years.

Radhakrishnan had six children, five daughters, and one son. 

Sarvepalli Gopal, his son, was a well-known Indian historian. He authored his father’s biography Radhakrishnan: A Biography and also Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography.

The Academic Career of Radha Krishnan

Radhakrishnan was appointed to the Madras Presidency College's Department of Philosophy in April 1909.

He was appointed Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore in 1918, where he taught at the Maharaja's College in Mysore.

He wrote several articles for prestigious journals such as The Quest, Journal of Philosophy, and the International Journal of Ethics while at Maharaja's College.

He also finished his first novel, Rabindranath Tagore's Philosophy. Tagore's philosophy, he claimed, was the "genuine expression of the Indian spirit."

In 1920, he published his second book, The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy.

In 1921, he was appointed as a professor of philosophy at the University of Calcutta, where he held the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science.

In June 1926, he represented the University of Calcutta at the British Empire Universities Congress, and in September 1926, he attended the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University.

Another significant academic event during this period was his acceptance of the Hibbert Lecture on the Ideals of Life, which he gave at Manchester College, Oxford in 1929 and was later published as “An Idealist View of Life” in book form.

In 1929, Radhakrishnan was invited to Manchester College to fill the vacancy left by Principal J. Estlin Carpenter. This gave him the opportunity to give a Comparative Religion lecture to University of Oxford students.

In June 1931, George V knighted him for his services to education, and the Governor-General of India, the Earl of Willingdon, formally invested him with his honour in April 1932.

After India's independence, he stopped using the title and instead used his academic title of Doctor.

From 1931 to 1936, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University.

Radhakrishnan was elected a Fellow of All Souls College and appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford in 1936.

He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1937. Nominations for the award continued to pour in well into the 1960s.

In 1939, he was invited to succeed Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya as Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). He was its Vice-Chancellor from January 1948 to January 1949.

The Political Career of Radha Krishnan

In this section, we will discuss the political view and career of Radha Krishnan. His tenure as Vice president and finally how he became Radhakrishnan president.

After a promising academic career, Radhakrishnan began his political career later in life. His political career came after his foreign impact.

He was one of the stalwarts who attended the Andhra Mahasabha in 1928, where he advocated the idea of renaming the Ceded Districts division of the Madras Presidency Rayalaseema.

In 1931, he was appointed to the League of Nations Committee for Intellectual Cooperation, where he became known as a Hindu expert on Indian ideas and a convincing translator of the role of Eastern institutions in contemporary society in Western eyes.

Radhakrishnan's involvement in Indian politics, as well as foreign affairs, grew in the years following India's independence. 

From 1946 to 1951, Radhakrishnan was a member of the newly formed UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), sitting on its Executive Board and heading the Indian delegation.

Radhakrishnan was also a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly for the two years following India's independence.

The demands of the University Commission and his continuing responsibilities as Spalding Professor at Oxford had to be balanced against Radhakrishnan's commitments to UNESCO and the Constituent Assembly.

When the Universities Commission's report was completed in 1949, Radhakrishnan was appointed Indian Ambassador to Moscow by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, a position he held until 1952. With his election to the Rajya Sabha, Radhakrishnan was able to bring his philosophical and political beliefs into motion.

In 1952, Radhakrishnan was elected as India's first Vice-President, and in 1962, he was elected as the country's second President.

During his time in office, Radhakrishnan saw a growing need for world peace and universal fellowship.

The importance of this need was driven home to Radhakrishnan by what he saw as global crises unfolding. The Korean War was already in full swing when he assumed the role of Vice-President.

Radhakrishnan's presidency was dominated by political conflicts with China in the early 1960s, followed by hostilities between India and Pakistan.

Furthermore, the Cold War split East and West, leaving each on the defensive and wary of the other.

Radhakrishnan questioned what he saw as self-proclaimed international organisations like the League of Nations' divisive ability and dominant character.

Instead, he advocated for the promotion of an innovative internationalism focused on integral experience's metaphysical foundations. Only then will mutual understanding and tolerance be encouraged between cultures and nations.

Philosophical Thoughts by Radha Krishnan

Radhakrishnan attempted to bring eastern and western ideas together, defending Hinduism against uninformed Western criticism while also integrating Western philosophical and religious ideas.

Radhakrishnan was one of Neo-most Vedanta's influential spokesmen.

His metaphysics was based on Advaita Vedanta, but he reinterpreted it for a modern audience.

He recognised the truth and diversity of human nature, which he saw as grounded in and endorsed by the absolute, or Brahman.

Theology and creeds are intellectual formulations, as well as symbols of religious experience or religious intuitions, for Radhakrishnan.

Radhakrishnan graded the different religions according to their interpretation of religious experience, with Advaita Vedanta holding the highest spot.

In comparison to the intellectually mediated conceptions of other religions, Radhakrishnan saw Advaita Vedanta as the best representative of Hinduism, as it was based on intuition.

Vedanta, according to Radhakrishnan, is the highest type of religion because it provides the most direct intuitive experience and inner realisation.

Despite his familiarity with western culture and philosophy, Radhakrishnan was critical of it. He said that, despite their claims to objectivity, Western philosophers were influenced by religious influences from their own society.

Death of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Radha Krishnan’s Sivakamu died on 26 November 1956. He never remarried and he was a widower till his death.

In 1967, Radhakrishnan stepped down from public life. 

He spent the last eight years of his life in Mylapore, Madras, in the house he designed.

On April 17, 1975, Radhakrishnan passed away.

Awards and Honours of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Radhakrishnan was awarded Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India in 1954.

He was knighted by King George V for his services to education in the year 1931.

He was honoured with the recipient of the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts in 1954 by Germany.

He was honoured with the recipient of the Sash First Class of the Order of the Aztec Eagle in the year 1954 by Mexico.

He was honoured with the membership of the Order of Merit in 1963 by the United Kingdom.

He was nominated for the Nobel Prize for the record 27 times. 16 times in literature and 11 times for the Nobel peace prize.

In 1938 he was elected as a Fellow of the British Academy.

He was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 1961.

In the year 1968, he was the first person to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi fellowship which is the highest honour conferred by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer.

Since 1962, India has celebrated Teacher's Day on 5 September, Radhakrishnan's birthday, in recognition of Radhakrishnan's belief that teachers should be the best minds in the world.

In 1975, he received the Templeton Prize for promoting nonviolence and conveying a common truth of God that included compassion and knowledge for all people. 

Literary works by Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan

The first book authored by Radha Krishnan was a philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore in the year 1918.

His second book was published in 1923 named Indian Philosophy.

The Hindu View of Life published in 1926 was Radha Krishnan's third book which was related to Hindu philosophy and beliefs.

An Idealist View of Life was published in 1929.

Kalki or the Future of Civilization was published in 1929.

He published his sixth book named Eastern Religions and Western Thought in the year 1939.

Religion and Society were published as the seventh book in 1947.

In 1948 The Bhagavadgita: with an introductory essay, Sanskrit text, English translation, and notes were published.

In 1950 his book The Dhammapada was published.

His tenth book The Principal Upanishads was published in 1953.

Recovery of Faith was published in 1956.

The twelfth book was A Source Book in Indian Philosophy published in 1957.

The Brahma Sutra: The Philosophy of Spiritual Life. was published in 1959.]

His last book named Religion, Science & Culture was published in 1968.

In this biography, we got to know Who was Dr. Radhakrishnan, his early life, his education, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s date of birth, his teaching career, his tenure as Vice president and president of India, his literary works, his awards and achievements, and his death.

Importance of learning about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography - Early Life, Education, and Awards

The students get to learn a lot of things about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan through the Biography provided by Vedantu. They learn about the Early Life, Education, and Awards which he was honoured during his lifetime. He has made India proud and thus, Teacher’s day was dedicated in his remembrance. The birthday of Dr. President and 1st Vice President of India is widely known as Teacher’s Day everywhere in India. 

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an eminent teacher, innovative thinker, and Hindu philosopher before being an honest politician. He worked as an educator for nearly forty years of his life. He has not solely won the hearts of Indians together with his lectures within the country’s famed universities however additionally captivated individuals abroad with his lectures and out-of-the-box ideas. Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan inspired the individuals of the society attentively to the importance of teachers and therefore the contribution of teachers in nation-building, in addition, has created tons of efforts to provide the correct place to the teachers within the society. 

Vedantu is here to tell you that Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan thought of the complete world as a faculty. He believed that the human mind is employed in the correct approach only and solely by education. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was also a good scholar of philosophy, who through his good thoughts, writings and speeches introduced the complete world to Indian philosophy, born into a Telugu family in the year 1888 in the Thiruttani Madras Presidency of British India, son to Mr. Sarvepalli Veeraswami and Mrs. Sitamma on 5th of September. His father worked as a subordinate revenue official within the service of a neighbourhood zamindar (landlord) and therefore the family was a modest one. He didn't wish his son to receive an English education and wished him to become a priest. However, life had different plans for the young boy. After receiving his education from Kendriya Vidyalaya high school at Tiruttani, Radhakrishnan moved on to the Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati in 1896. 

A decent student, he earned several scholarships. He studied at Voorhees college in Vellore and at Madras Christian College. He chose to study philosophy and earned his master’s degree in the aforementioned subject in the year 1906. When the students study about someone who has made such a difference in the lives of people such as Sir Sarveppali Radhakrishanan, it inspires them in innumerable ways. Their perspective towards every task whether small or big changes accordingly, they have a more optimistic view about everything. Reading the biography of such prominent figures also helps them to enhance their general knowledge and therefore, helps them academically too. These biographies have questions based on them which may appear every now and then in important competitive examinations. It also helps them to know the importance of teachers, teaching, and how this profession is underrated and should be appreciated more. Therefore, by reading all the biography of Sarvepalli Radhakrishan ie., about his early life, education, and awards, students gain more insight about things academically and morally which helps them secure a brighter future.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an academic, philosopher, and statesman who was one of the most well-known and prominent Indian thinkers in academic circles during the twentieth century. Radhakrishnan spent his life and career as a writer attempting to describe, defend, and propagate his faith, which he referred to variously as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit. Rather than being known as Radhakrishnan president, he was famous for his academic skills and as a teacher.

FAQs on Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography

1. Who was Dr. Radhakrishnan?

Dr. Radhakrishnan was the first Vice president and second president of Independent India. He was an academic, philosopher, and statesman who was one of the most well-known and prominent Indian thinkers in academic circles.

2. When was Radhakrishnan born?

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September 1888 to a Telugu-speaking Niyogi Brahmin family in Thiruttani, Madras Presidency, British India which is present-day Tamil Nadu, India.

3. In which year Radhakrishnan became the President of India?

In the year 1962 Radhakrishnan became the second president of India.

4. Why should I know about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography - Early Life, Education, and Awards?

The students of the country should be well aware of the famous personalities who have affected the lives of others in unimaginable ways. Knowing about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s Biography is crucial for the students to know because this not only inspires them but also helps them to understand the importance of education and the recognition a person gets when he is hardworking, simple, and innovative. Thus, a student should know about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography - Early Life, Education, and Awards.

5. Where can I find Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography - Early Life, Education, and Awards?

The students can find Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography - Early Life, Education, and Awards at Vedantu, the one-stop for studies. At Vedantu, the students can find study materials for all classes and competitive exams free of charge which can be easily used for studies. These are curated by expert teachers who make sure that each word is sensible and thus, help you to ace your exams whether it is English, math, or others. All you have to do is sign in and enjoy access to the unlimited free study material.

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• Famous Personalities /

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography, Education, & Contribution in Teacher’s Day

• Updated on  
• Jan 11, 2024

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born in the Indian town of Tirupati (now Andhra Pradesh) on September 5, 1888. He was a well-known teacher as well as a recognized academic and politician in India. He was from a low-income Brahmin household. They excelled in academics and frequently visited universities in Andhra Pradesh, Mysore, and Calcutta. He also served as a professor in Oxford and went on to become the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University and the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University as a result of his successful academic career.

He wrote various works to spread Indian culture, focusing on the establishment of a caste-free and categorized society. Dr. Radhakrishnan was a good philosopher who backed Hindutva in its present form. “The Philosophy of Upanishad,” “East and West: Some Reflections,” and “Eastern Religion and Western Thought” are just a few of his well-known works. Teacher’s Day is observed on September 5th, which coincides with his birthday.

This Blog Includes:

Who is dr. sarvepalli radhakrishnan, sarvepalli radhakrishnan education, sarvepalli radhakrishnan family, philosophical thoughts by radha krishnan, early life and childhood of sarvepalli radhakrishnan, sarvepalli radhakrishnan’s career from a professor to the first vice-president of india, sarvepalli radhakrishnan’s major works and contributions, sarvepalli radhakrishnan’s awards and achievements, sarvepalli radhakrishnan’s contribution towards indian education and teacher’s day, 5 lesser known facts about dr. sarvepalli radhakrishnan.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian leader, politician, philosopher, and academic. He served as India’s first Vice President and then as the country’s second President. Radhakrishnan devoted his life and career as a writer striving to describe, defend, and spread his beliefs, which he called Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit.

He tried to demonstrate that his Hinduism was both intellectually and morally solid. He appears at ease in both Indian and Western intellectual frameworks, and his prose incorporates both Western and Indian elements. As a result, in academic circles, Radhakrishnan has been praised as a symbol of Hinduism to the West.

• Thiruttani’s K.V. High School was where he received his primary schooling. In 1896, he went to the Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati and the Government High Secondary School in Walajapet.
• He attended Vellore’s Voorhees College for his high school schooling. After finishing his First of Arts class at the age of 17, he joined Madras Christian College. In 1906, he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the same university.
• Sarvepalli’s bachelor’s thesis was titled “The Ethics of Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions.” It was written in response to the charge that the Vedanta plan was devoid of ethical considerations. Two of Radhakrishnan’s instructors, Rev. William Meston and Dr. Alfred George Hogg, commended his dissertation. Radhakrishnan’s thesis was published while he was barely twenty years old.

Also Read – Who is The First Woman President of India?

• At the age of 16, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan married Sivakamu.
• Radha Krishnan’s distant relative Sivakamu
• For almost 51 years, Radhakrishnan and Sivakamu were blissfully married.
• Radhakrishnan was the father of six children, including five daughters and one son.
• His son, Sarvepalli Gopal, was an accomplished Indian historian. He wrote the biographies of his father, Radhakrishnan: A Biography, and Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography.
• Radhakrishnan endeavoured to reconcile Eastern and Western thought by defending Hinduism against misinformed Western criticism while also incorporating Western intellectual and religious notions.
• Radhakrishnan was a key figure in the Neo-Vedanta movement.
• He founded his philosophy on Advaita Vedanta but reworked it for a modern audience.
• He recognized human nature’s reality and diversity, which he considered as anchored in and sanctioned by the ultimate, or Brahman.
• For Radhakrishnan, theology and creeds are both intellectual formulations and emblems of religious experience or religious intuitions.
• Radhakrishnan assigned a grade to each religion based on how they interpret religious experience, with Advaita Vedanta receiving the best score.
• Radhakrishnan considered Advaita Vedanta as the finest expression of Hinduism since it was based on intuition, as opposed to the cognitively mediated ideas of other faiths.
• Vedanta is the ultimate sort of religion, according to Radhakrishnan, since it delivers the most direct intuitive experience and inner realization.
• Despite his knowledge of Western culture and philosophy, Radhakrishnan was an outspoken critic. Despite their claims to impartiality, he said that Western philosophers were influenced by religious forces from inside their civilization.

Also Read – Indira Gandhi: Know All About the First Woman Prime Minister of India

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, into a Telugu Brahmin family in Tiruttani, Madras Presidency, British India.

• Sarvepalli Veeraswami was his father’s name, and Sitamma was his mother’s.
• His father was a low-ranking revenue official in the service of a local zamindar (landlord), and his family was poor. He didn’t want his son to go to school in English and instead wanted him to become a priest. Life, on the other hand, had different plans for the young kid.
• Radhakrishnan attended Thiruttani’s K.V High School before transferring to Tirupati’s Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in 1896.
• He was a good student who received numerous scholarships.
• He spent some time at Vellore’s Voorhees College before enrolling at Madras Christian College at the age of 17.
• In 1906, he completed his master’s degree in philosophy. His MA thesis was titled “The Ethics of Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions.”

In 1909, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his academic career in the Madras Presidency College’s Department of Philosophy. In 1918, he transferred to the University of Mysore, where he taught at Maharaja College. In 1921, he was offered the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta, which he accepted. In June 1926, he attended the Congress of the Universities of the British Empire, and in September 1926, he attended the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University . He was asked to deliver the Hibbert Lecture on the Ideals of Life at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, in 1929, as a distinguished academician. From 1931 to 1936, he was the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University before becoming the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of All Souls College. In 1939, he took over as Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) from Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya, a position he maintained until 1948. Radhakrishnan entered politics later in life than others. From 1946 to 1952, he served as India’s representative at UNESCO.

From 1949 until 1952, he served as India’s ambassador to the Soviet Union. In 1952, Radhakrishnan was elected as India’s first Vice-President, serving under President Rajendra Prasad and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru . In 1962, he succeeded Rajendra Prasad as India’s second President, and he left politics five years later. 

“The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.”

‘Indian Philosophy’ (two volumes, 1923–27), ‘The Philosophy of the Upanishads’ (1924), ‘An Idealist View of Life’ (1932), ‘Eastern Religions and Western Thought’ (1939), and ‘East and West: Some Reflections’ were among his many works. Radhakrishnan is widely regarded as one of India’s brightest and most prominent comparative religion and philosophy academics. In both India and the West, his defense of Hinduism against “uninformed Western criticism” has had a significant impact. He is regarded as making Hinduism more approachable to a Western audience.

• In 1954, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor.
• In 1968, he became the first individual to be awarded a Sahitya Akademi fellowship, the Sahitya Akademi’s highest distinction.
• He was awarded the Templeton Prize for supporting nonviolence and presenting “a universal reality of God that embraced love and wisdom for all people” shortly before his death in 1975.
• India’s first Vice President and second President. Indian philosophy has been placed on a world map.

“Instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if 5 September is observed as Teachers’ Day.”  – Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. 

Teachers’ Day is observed on September 5 in India as a homage to the contributions of teachers to society. On this day in 1888, India’s former President, academic, philosopher, and Bharat Ratna awardee, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was born. Dr. Radhakrishnan was born into a poor Brahmin family in Tiruttani, Andhra Pradesh, and was a talented student who completed his studies with the help of scholarships. When Dr. Radhakrishan became India’s second President in 1962, his students contacted him to ask for permission to mark September 5 as a special day. Instead, Dr Radhakrishnan proposed that September 5 be designated as Teachers’ Day to honour teachers’ contributions to society. On this special day, the entire nation honours Dr. Radhakrishnan, an outstanding educator who was well-liked by his students. Students show their appreciation for their professors’ hard work and efforts, which have shaped their lives.

Tributes to former President of India, academician and a great teacher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary. May his life and teachings guide us to a better future. #SarvepalliRadhakrishnan pic.twitter.com/uBZwQFsqA8 — T S Singhdeo (@TS_SinghDeo) September 5, 2021

S Radhakrishnan defines education as the acquisition of information outside the academic and professional realms. He believed that education should not be limited to bookish learning or the memorization of facts and statistics, nor should it be used to fill the mind with useless material. It is also not the memorization of others’ thoughts and their reproduction in examinations to obtain diplomas and degrees for employment.

Dr. Radhakrishnan was a believer in ideals. His education is based on idealistic values. For the pupils, he recommended Yoga, Morality, Geography, General Science, Agriculture, Political Science, Ethics, Literature, and Philosophy. Dr. Radhakrishnan’s curriculum includes intellectual and moral pursuits such as poetry, painting, and mathematics. The report of the University Education Commission 1940-49 is Dr. Radhakrishnan’s greatest contribution to educational thinking and practice. Our mental education, moral strength, and moral integrity, according to the panel. “If we claim to be civilized,” it continues, “We must develop thought for the poor and suffering, chivalrous regard and respect for women, faith in human brotherhood regardless of race, colour, nation, or religion, love of peace and freedom, abhorrence of cruelty, and ceaseless devotion to the claims of Justice.” According to him, the aim of education should be:

• To instil the belief that life has a purpose,
• To cultivate the wisdom to awaken the innate ability to live a soulful life.
• To prepare for the democratic process,
• Self-improvement is a skill that may be learned.
•  To become in touch with one’s cultural heritage

“Knowledge gives us power, love gives us the fullness.”

• When he became President of India, he accepted just Rs 2500 out of a monthly salary of Rs 10,000, with the remainder going to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
• The Radhakrishnan Chevening Scholarships and the Radhakrishnan Memorial Award were established by Oxford University.
• In 1954, he was given the Bharat Ratna, and in 1961, the German Book Trade Peace Prize. He was also awarded the Order of Merit in 1963 and the Templeton Prize in 1975 for spreading the concept of “a universal truth of God that encompassed compassion and wisdom for all people.” And what’s even more incredible is that he gave the entire prize money to Oxford University.
• He was knighted in 1931 and was known as Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan from then until India’s independence in 1947. He was renamed Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan after the country gained freedom. He was appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University in 1936. In addition, he was elected as a Fellow of All Souls College.
• Helpage India, a non-profit organization for the aged and impoverished, was created by him.

Also Read – Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar: Life and Contributions

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s life and contributions to the school of Indian modern philosophy are invaluable. He was a learned man and an educator who made significant contributions to the realm of education. He was an Indian scholar who had renounced his faith. As Indians, we continue to remember him and commemorate his birthday on September 5th as Teacher’s Day.

We respect all instructors because of him, and we especially observed this day because of him. He is a role model for all Indians, and despite his death, he lives on in the hearts of all teachers and students.

Relevant Blogs

We hope you enjoyed reading our blog. If you want to read more articles like this you can visit our other blogs like Biography of DR B.R. Ambedkar , PM VP Singh . Also, you can visit our Study Notes on the Modern History of India page on Indian History !

Team Leverage Edu

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

Leaving already?

8 Universities with higher ROI than IITs and IIMs

Grab this one-time opportunity to download this ebook

Connect With Us

25,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

September 2024

January 2025

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

• Skip to Main Content
• Screen Reader Access

Smt. Droupadi Murmu The President of India

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan OM (5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975), natively Radhakrishnayya, was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967. He was also the first vice president of India from 1952 to 1962. He was the second ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952. He was also the fourth vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University from 1939 to 1948 and the second vice-chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan OM (5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975), natively Radhakrishnayya, was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Introducing the official Instagram Profile

As members bearing the Sarvepalli Family name, we welcome you . 

Note to the Visitors

In remembrance of the Second President of India, the charismatic teacher Late Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan,we have designed this website. 

As members bearing the Sarvepalli Family name, it is our dear wish to propagate the teachings of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Staying true to the principles which appealed to the Late President, the site is being designed to provide teaching materials, lesson plans and in the process of spreading the message of Go Green.

With hits from Saudi Arabia,Brazil, London, US and many parts of India.. the site is proving to be a success and we hope to make it a part of his legacy. 

" The end-product of education should be a free creative man, who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities of nature. "

by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 

The Legend of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan - The Philosopher President of India

Rare are those contemporaries who make a mark in the pages of history.  Each of these great leaders and teachers are cherished by the later generations with pride, honor and respect.

As part of the legacy left by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an orator, philosopher and a great statesman, we have prepared the following: 

Autobiography : Life and Writings

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, at Tiruttani, forty miles to the north-east of Madras, in South India. His early years were spent in Tiruttani and Tirupati, both famous as pilgrim centers. He graduated with a Master's Degree in Arts from Madras University. In partial fulfillment for his M.A. degree, Radhakrishnan wrote a thesis on the ethics of the Vedanta titled "The Ethics of the Vedanta and Its Metaphysical Presuppositions", which was a reply to the charge that the Vedanta system had no room for ethics. Professor A.G. Hogg awarded the following testimonial for this thesis:

"The thesis which he prepared in the second year of his study for this degree shows a remarkable understanding of the main aspects of the philosophical problems, a capacity for handling easily a complex argument besides more than the average mastery of good English".

The thesis indicates the general trend of Radhakrishnan's thoughts... In his own words,

"Religious feeling must establish itself as a rational way of living. If ever the spirit is to be at home in this world, and not merely a prisoner or a fugitive, spiritual foundations must be laid deep and preserved worthily. Religion must express itself in reasonable thought, fruitful action and right social institutions."

In April 1909, he was appointed to the Department of Philosophy at the Madras Presidency College. From then on, he was engaged in the serious study of Indian philosophy and religion, and was a teacher of Philosophy.

In 1918, he was appointed Professor of Philosophy in the University of Mysore. Three years later, he was appointed to the most important philosophy chair in India, King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science in the University of Calcutta. Radhakrishnan represented University of Calcutta at the Congress of the Universities of the British Empire in June 1926 and the International Congress of Philosophy at the Harvard University in September 1926. At the Philosophical Congress held at Harvard University, the lack of spiritual note in modern civilization was the focus of his address to the general meeting.

In 1929, Radhakrishnan was invited to take the post vacated by Principal J. Estin Carpenter in Manchester College, Oxford. This gave him the opportunity to lecture to the students of University of Oxford on Comparative Religion. During that visit, he also gave the Hibbert Lectures on "An Idealist View of Life" to audiences at the Universities of London and Manchester. In his own words,

"It was a great experience for me to preach from Christian pulpits in Oxford and Birmingham, in Manchester and Liverpool. It heartened me to know that my addresses were liked by Christian audiences. Referring to my sermon on "Revolution through Suffering", an Oxford daily observed, "Though the Indian preacher had the marvelous power to weave a magic web of thought, imagination and language, the real greatness of his sermon resides in some indefinable spiritual quality which arrests attention, moves the heart and lifts us into an ampler air."

It is not God that is worshiped but the authority that claims to speak in His name. Sin becomes disobedience to authority not violation of integrity.

From 1936-39, Radhakrishnan was the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University. In 1939, he was elected Fellow of the British Academy. From 1939-48, he was the Vice-Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University. He later held offices that dealt with India's national and international affairs. He was the leader of the Indian delegation to UNESCO during 1946-52. He was the Ambassador of India to U.S.S.R. during 1949-52. He was the Vice-President of India from 1952-1962 and the President, General Conference of UNESCO from 1952-54. He held the office of the Chancellor, University of Delhi, from 1953-62. From May 1962 to May 1967, he was the President of India.

Aldous Huxley observed that Dr. Radhakrishnan "is the master of words and no words."

Prof. H.N. Muirhead said, "Dr. Radhakrishnan has the rare qualification of being equally versed in the great European and the not less great Asiatic tradition which may be said to hold in solution between them the spiritual wisdom of the world, and of thus speaking as a philosophical bi linguist upon it."

George P. Conger said, "Among the philosophers of our time, no one has achieved so much in so many fields as has Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan of India ... William James was influential in religion, and John Dewey has been a force in politics. One or two American philosophers have been legislators. Jacques Maritain has been an ambassador. Radhakrishnan, in a little more than thirty years of work, has done all these things and more... Never in the history of philosophy has there been quite such a world-figure. With his unique appointment at Banaras and Oxford, like a weaver's shuttle, he has gone to and fro between the East and West, carrying a thread of understanding, weaving it into the fabric of civilization."

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan passed away on April 17, 1975. In India, September 5 (his birthday) is celebrated as Teacher's Day in his honor.

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's letter to Prof. Paul Arthur Schilpp, the editor of The Philosophy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan:

1961 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade

1959 Goethe plaque from the city of Frankfurt am Main

1954 Order Pour le mérite for sciences and arts

1954 first recipient of the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian order of merit in India

1931 Knighthood (Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan)

The award winner in sepia: Like many of the old suits in the Peace Prize photo archive, this one of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is now a little yellowed.

Exchange association director Werner Dodeshöner and award winner Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan leaf through the certificate.

Peace Prize 1961

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

The board of trustees for the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade elects the Indian religious philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan as the recipient of the 1961 Peace Prize. The award ceremony will take place during the Frankfurt Book Fair on Sunday, October 22, 1961, in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt. Ernst Benz gives the laudation.

Reason for Jury:

The religious philosopher and statesman Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan gave a profound interpretation of Eastern and Western essence in his literary work and thus created a path to international understanding.

As a politician, he fearlessly presented his insight "Peace is the crown of self-overcoming, humility, conversion and devotion, and not the crown of violence and conquest" to the whole world. By awarding the Peace Prize, we honor his free spirit and thank him for his life's work.

Source Article :

https://www.friedenspreis-des-deutschen-buchhandels.de/alle-preistraeger-seit-1950/1960-1969/sarvepalli-radhakrishnan

India's Vice President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan welcomes the guests, including Federal President Heinrich Lübke.

Acceptance Speech

Books published.

My search for truth (1961)

Brahma Sutra. The Philosophy of Spiritual Life (1960)

East and West: Some Reflections (1955)

Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939)

An Idealist View of Life (1932)

The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924)

Indian Philosophy (2 volumes, 1923–1927)

Photo Gallery

Video Gallery

Documentaries

Famous quotations.

Manav ka danav hona uski har hai, manav ka mahamanav hona uska chamtkar hai. manusya ka manav hona uski jit hai.

It is said that a man without religion is like a horse without bridle.

Religion is the conquest of fear ; the antidote to failure and death.

Nations, like individuals, are made, not only by what" they acquire, but by what they resign.

Human life as we have it is only the raw material for Human life as it might be.

No one Who holds himself aloof from the activi-iies of the world and who is insensitive to its woes can be really wise.

Only the man of serene mind can realize the spiritual meaning of life. Honesty with oneself is the condition of spiritual integrity.

The prophets of spirit make history just by standing outside history.

All our world organizations will prove ineffective if the truth that love is stronger than hate does not inspire them.

Spiritual life is the genius of India.

Faith in conceptual reason is the logical counterpart of the egoism which makes the selfish ego the deadliest ego of the soul.

Human nature is fundamentally good, and the spread of enlightenment will abolish all wrong.

Wealth, power and efficiency are the appurtenances of life and not life itself.

To look upon life as an evil and treat the world as delusion is sheer ingratitude.

Death is never an end or obstacle but at most the beginning of new steps.

It is not God that is worshiped but the group or authority that claims to speak in His name. Sin becomes disobedience to authority not violation of integrity.

A life of joy and happiness is possible only on the basis of knowledge and science.

Religion is essentially an initiation into inwardness, a cleansing of internal life. When once the individual becomes inwardly single, he lives for humanity. He stands out for truth and fears none even when isolated and subdued. You may deride him, persecute him but he will not retaliate.

The poet's religion has no place for any fixed doctrine. Religion is an endless adventure of man's entire being towards a truth which is revealed in this very quest.

Reading a book gives us the habit of solitary reflection and true enjoyment.

The end-product of education should be a free creative man, who can battle against historical circumstances and adversities of nature.

We must recall humanity to those moral roots from which both order and freedom spring.

A literary genius, it is said, resembles all, though no one resembles him.

Democracy is a faith in the spiritual possibilities of not a privileged few but of every human being.

Arts reveal to us the deeper layers of the human soul. Arts, therefore, reveal the transcendental force underlying all existence which we are much to feeble to endure when it is completely unveiled. Art is possible only when heaven touches earth.

Books are the means by which we build bridges between cultures.

Age or youth is not a matter of chronology. We are as young or as old as we teel. What we think about ourselves is what matters.

The truth affirmed by the Advaitins happens to be beyond the comprehension of the ordinary mind, but the mind of man is not the measure of reality.

Future Events

Nidarshan - Exhibition

As part of the legacy left by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, an orator, philosopher and a great statesman, we have planned to showcase the magnificence of this great teacher and mentor in the form of a 2 day exhibition.

Some of the  highlights of the exhibition include :-

a. Dramas and Plays about the Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and his interactions with yester year leaders.

b. Information Kiosks with booklets citing teaching principles to students and teachers.

c. Quizzes and Debates among students.

d. Seminars and case studies on the best teaching principles adopted across India.

e. A virtual slide show depicting the life led by Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

f.  Innovative ideas segment catering to the creativity of modern day students.

g. Dreams come true which highlights the ambitions and desires of individuals.

h. Ashtavadanam where an individual fields eight questions at one time.

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

• This Just In
• Grateful Dead
• Old Time Radio
• 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
• Audio Books & Poetry
• Computers, Technology and Science
• Music, Arts & Culture
• News & Public Affairs
• Spirituality & Religion
• Radio News Archive

• Flickr Commons
• Occupy Wall Street Flickr
• NASA Images
• Solar System Collection
• Ames Research Center

• All Software
• Old School Emulation
• MS-DOS Games
• Historical Software
• Classic PC Games
• Software Library
• Kodi Archive and Support File
• Vintage Software
• CD-ROM Software
• CD-ROM Software Library
• Software Sites
• Tucows Software Library
• Shareware CD-ROMs
• Software Capsules Compilation
• CD-ROM Images
• ZX Spectrum
• DOOM Level CD

• Smithsonian Libraries
• FEDLINK (US)
• Lincoln Collection
• American Libraries
• Canadian Libraries
• Universal Library
• Project Gutenberg
• Children's Library
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Books by Language
• Additional Collections

• Prelinger Archives
• Democracy Now!
• Occupy Wall Street
• TV NSA Clip Library
• Animation & Cartoons
• Arts & Music
• Computers & Technology
• Cultural & Academic Films
• Ephemeral Films
• Sports Videos
• Videogame Videos
• Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

• Wayback Machine (iOS)
• Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

• Explore the Collections
• Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

• Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

Radhakrishnan, a biography

Bookreader item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

• Graphic Violence
• Explicit Sexual Content
• Hate Speech
• Misinformation/Disinformation
• Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
• Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

411 Previews

10 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

No suitable files to display here.

PDF access not available for this item.

IN COLLECTIONS

Uploaded by station47.cebu on March 9, 2021

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

Constitution of India

Home  ≫  The Constitution Framers  ≫  Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Constituent Assembly Members

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

1888 - 1975

Key Information

Party: Indian National Congress

Constituency: United Provinces

Religion: Hindu

Caste: Non SC/ST

Gender: Male

Mother Tongue: Tamil

Education: Postgraduate

Committee Memberships

• Key Speeches

Early Life:

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5th, 1888 in Tiruttani, a town in Tamil Nadu. He pursued his BA with Philosophy Honours and graduated with a Master’s degree in Philosophy from the Madras Christian College .

After graduation, in 1909, he began his prolific academic career with a temporary teaching position at the Presidency College in Madras . Further, in the year 1918, he was appointed as a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore . In 1921, he was appointed as the professor of Philosophy to the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta. A decade later, he attained Knighthood and subsequently, was appointed as a Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University . He has the distinction of being the first Indian to hold a chair at Oxford University.

Contribution to Constitution Making:

Radhakrishnan was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the United Provinces on a Congress Party ticket. In the Assembly, he intervened on minorities issues and objectives resolution debates.

Later Contributions:

Post-independence, Radhakrishnan led the Indian delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) between 1946-1952. He was later elected to hold the post of Chairman of the UNESCO’s Executive Board for the year 1948-1949. Subsequently, he was deputed as the Indian Ambassador to the Soviet Union till 1952.

Upon his return to India, he was elected as India’s first Vice President. Subsequently, in the year 1962, he went on to become the 2nd President of India succeeding Dr Rajendra Prasad. He served his post till 1967 and retired from public life.

Radhakrishnan died on April 17, 1975.

Key Writings:

S. Radhakrishnan was a renowned scholar and published extensively on philosophy and religion. Some of his writings include Indian Philosophy , The Philosophy of the Upanishads , An Idealist view of life , Eastern Religions and Western Thought , and East and West: some reflections . His M.A thesis, titled the Ethics of Vedanta and Its Metaphysical Presuppositions , is also considered an invaluable source on the interplay between ethics and Vedanta. In the course of his writing career, he authored several commentaries on Indian works including the Bhagavad-Gita, Brahma Sutra, Upanishads and the Prasthanatraya. In his lifetime, he was also nominated 16 times for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

• When the Assembly was discussing the religious denomination issue, he argued against state-maintained institutions imparting religious instructions.
• During debates around the Objectives Resolution, he spoke in length in defence of it.
• Basic Writings of S. Radhakrishnan .
• Political Thinkers of Modern India: S Radhakrishnan .
• Radhakrishnan: A biography .
• Organized Religion according to S. Radhakrishnan .

To get Personalised DAF Based Questions for your Robust Interview Preparation.

• UPSC Online
• UPSC offline and Hybrid
• UPSC Optional Coaching
• UPPCS Online
• BPSC Online
• MPSC Online
• MPPSC Online
• WBPSC Online
• UPPCS Offline Coaching
• BPSC Offline Coaching
• UPSC Test Series
• State PSC Test Series
• DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS
• SUBJECT WISE CURRENT AFFAIRS
• DAILY EDITORIAL ANALYSIS
• DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ
• Daily Prelims(MCQs) Practice
• Daily Mains Answer Writing
• Free Resources

• Offline Centers
• NCERT Notes
• UPSC Syllabus
• UPSC Prelims PYQs
• UPSC Mains PYQs
• Prelims Preparation
• Interview Preparation

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography, Birth, Early Live, Education, Awards, Death

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian leader known for his roles as a philosopher and politician. He served as India's second president from 1962 to 1967. Read more about his early life, education, awards and death in the article given below.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, hailing from India, was a multifaceted individual renowned as a scholar, politician, philosopher, and statesman. His significant contributions include serving as India’s inaugural Vice President and subsequently as its second President.

Throughout his lifetime and career, Radhakrishnan passionately engaged as a writer, dedicating his efforts to elucidating, defending, and disseminating his faith, which he identified variously as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit. His objective was to demonstrate that his version of Hinduism not only possessed philosophical rigor but also upheld ethical viability.

What sets Radhakrishnan apart is his remarkable ability to seamlessly navigate both Indian and Western philosophical contexts, skillfully incorporating insights from Western and Indian sources into his writings. Consequently, within academic circles, Radhakrishnan emerged as a symbol representing Hinduism to the Western world.

This biography of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan will delve into his early life, familial background, educational journey, career as an educator, political endeavors, and his eventual passing.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Birth

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5, 1888, in Tiruttani, which is now in Tamil Nadu, India. He came from a Telugu-speaking Niyogi Brahmin family. His father, Sarvepalli Veeraswami, worked as a revenue official for a local zamindar. His mother was named Sarvepalli Sita, and their family hailed from Sarvepalli village in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district. Radhakrishnan spent his early years in the towns of Thiruttani and Tirupati.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Early Life

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a prominent Indian philosopher, educator, and statesman, played a significant role in shaping India’s intellectual and educational landscape in the 20th century. He was born on September 5, 1888, in Tiruttani, which is now part of Tamil Nadu but was once part of British India’s Madras Presidency. Radhakrishnan became India’s first vice president in 1952 and held this position until 1962.

During his tenure as Vice President, he was known for his dignified and effective leadership. He was subsequently elected as the President of India and served from 1962 to 1967, where he emphasized the importance of culture and education.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is remembered as a visionary philosopher, a champion of education, and a statesman who represented India on the global stage. His efforts to promote the understanding of Indian philosophy and culture, both within India and abroad, continue to have a lasting impact. Although he passed away on April 17, 1975, his legacy continues to inspire generations of scholars, educators, and leaders in India and beyond.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Education

Radhakrishnan’s academic journey was marked by excellence and scholarly pursuits. He commenced his primary education at Thiruttani’s K.V High School. In 1896, he continued his education at the Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati and later at Walajapet’s Government High Secondary School.

For his high school education, he enrolled at Vellore’s Voorhees College. After completing his First of Arts class, he joined Madras Christian College, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the same institution in 1906.

One of Radhakrishnan’s early academic achievements was his bachelor’s degree thesis, “The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions,” which he wrote in response to criticism that Vedanta lacked ethical foundations. This thesis garnered praise from his professors, Rev. William Meston and Dr. Alfred George Hogg, and was published when Radhakrishnan was just twenty years old.

Also Read:  Mother Teresa Biography

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Family and Personal Life

At the age of sixteen, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan married Sivakamu, who was a distant cousin. Their marital union spanned over fifty-one years, characterized by happiness and mutual support. The couple had six children, consisting of five daughters and one son. Notably, his son Sarvepalli Gopal became a renowned Indian historian and author, known for writing biographies of both his father and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Academic Career

Radhakrishnan’s academic journey was marked by numerous significant milestones. He began his career as a professor, initially at the Madras Presidency College’s Department of Philosophy in April 1909. Later, in 1918, he assumed the role of Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore, where he taught at Maharaja’s College.

During this period, he contributed scholarly articles to prestigious journals like The Quest, Journal of Philosophy, and the International Journal of Ethics. His first book, “Rabindranath Tagore’s Philosophy,” was published during this phase, in which he asserted that Tagore’s philosophy epitomized the genuine expression of the Indian spirit.

In 1921, Radhakrishnan was appointed as a professor of philosophy at the University of Calcutta, where he held the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science. His academic pursuits also led him to international platforms, where he represented the University of Calcutta at the British Empire Universities Congress in June 1926 and attended the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University in September 1926.

One of his notable lectures during this period was the Hibbert Lecture on the Ideals of Life, delivered at Manchester College, Oxford, in 1929. It was later published as “An Idealist View of Life” in book form. In 1931, he was invited to Manchester College to fill a vacancy left by Principal J. Estlin Carpenter, which afforded him the opportunity to deliver a Comparative Religion lecture to University of Oxford students.

In recognition of his contributions to education, Radhakrishnan was knighted by King George V in 1931. He continued to serve in various academic roles, including Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. In 1936, he was elected as a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and appointed as the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford.

Also Read: Subhas Chandra Bose Biography

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Political Career

Radhakrishnan’s political involvement expanded in the years following India’s independence. From 1946 to 1951, he served as a member of UNESCO’s Executive Board and headed the Indian delegation. He also became a member of the Indian Constituent Assembly during this period.

Balancing his academic commitments with his roles in UNESCO and the Constituent Assembly, Radhakrishnan took on new challenges. In 1949, he was appointed as the Indian Ambassador to Moscow by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, a position he held until 1952. His election to the Rajya Sabha allowed him to translate his philosophical and political beliefs into action.

In 1952, Radhakrishnan was elected as India’s first Vice-President, and in 1962, he assumed the role of the country’s second President. His presidency was marked by a focus on world peace and universal fellowship, prompted by global crises like the Korean War and hostilities between India and Pakistan.

He questioned the effectiveness of international organizations like the League of Nations and advocated for a new form of internationalism grounded in metaphysical foundations to foster mutual understanding and tolerance among cultures and nations.

Also Read: Mahatma Gandhi Biography

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Philosophical Contributions

Radhakrishnan’s intellectual contributions bridged Eastern and Western thought. He defended Hinduism against uninformed Western criticism while integrating Western philosophical and religious ideas.

As a prominent spokesman for Neo-Vedanta, his metaphysics drew from Advaita Vedanta but was reinterpreted for a modern audience. Radhakrishnan acknowledged the truth and diversity of human nature, grounded in and endorsed by the absolute, or Brahman. He viewed theology and creeds as intellectual formulations and symbols of religious experience or intuitions.

Radhakrishnan categorized religions based on their interpretation of religious experience, with Advaita Vedanta occupying the highest position due to its reliance on intuition. He considered Vedanta the highest form of religion, as it provided direct intuitive experience and inner realization.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Death

Radhakrishnan’s wife, Sivakamu, passed away on November 26, 1956, and he remained a widower until his own passing. In 1967, he retired from public life and spent his final eight years in the house he designed in Mylapore, Madras. On April 17, 1975, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan passed away, leaving behind a lasting legacy of scholarship, philosophy, and political leadership.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Awards and Honors

Throughout his life, Radhakrishnan received numerous awards and honors for his exceptional contributions:

• Bharat Ratna , India’s highest civilian award (1954)
• Knighted by King George V (1931)
• Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, Germany (1954)
• Sash First Class of the Order of the Aztec Eagle, Mexico (1954)
• Membership of the Order of Merit, United

Also Read: Rabindranath Tagore Biography

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography FAQs

Who was sarvepalli radhakrishnan, what is sarvepalli radhakrishnan's contribution to education, why is teacher's day celebrated on september 5th in india, what were sarvepalli radhakrishnan's major literary works, what did dr radhakrishnan do.

UPDATED :     

Recommended For You

How to Fill UPSC Online Form 2024

How to Prepare for IAS Exam: Strategies, Tips, and FAQs

Difference between IAS and IPS (IAS vs IPS)

Eligibility For IAS Exam: Qualification, Age Limit, and No o...

IAS Age Limit For UPSC Exam 2024

UPSC Admit Card 2024: Download Civil Services Hall Ticket

Latest comments.

POCSO Act, 2012: Former CM Booked

One Nation One Election: Significance, Implic...

Recent posts.

List of Standard Books for UPSC

How to prepare for ias exam: strategies, tips..., eligibility for ias exam: qualification, age ..., archive calendar.

THE MOST LEARNING PLATFORM

Learn From India's Best Faculty

Our Courses

Our initiatives, beginner’s roadmap, quick links.

PW-Only IAS came together specifically to carry their individual visions in a mission mode. Infusing affordability with quality and building a team where maximum members represent their experiences of Mains and Interview Stage and hence, their reliability to better understand and solve student issues.

Subscribe our Newsletter

Sign up now for our exclusive newsletter and be the first to know about our latest Initiatives, Quality Content, and much more.

Contact Details

G-Floor,4-B Pusha Road, New Delhi, 110060

• +91 9920613613
• [email protected]

Download Our App

Biginner's Roadmap

Suscribe now form, to get early access of such quality content..

Join Us Now

(Promise! We Will Not Spam You.)

CURRENT AF.

<div class="new-fform">

Select centre Online Mode Hybrid Mode PWonlyIAS Delhi (ORN) PWonlyIAS Delhi (MN) PWonlyIAS Lucknow PWonlyIAS Patna Other

Select course UPSC Online PSC ONline UPSC + PSC ONLINE UPSC Offline PSC Offline UPSC+PSC Offline UPSC Hybrid PSC Hybrid UPSC+PSC Hybrid Other

</div>

• School guide
• Social Science Notes
• History Notes
• Geography Notes
• Political Science Notes
• Economics Notes
• Science and Technology Notes
• Social Science Solutions
• English Grammar
• Science Solution
• Biology Solutions
• Mathematics Solutions
• R.D.Sharma Solutions
• NCERT Solutions for Class 10 History Chapter 4 : The Age of Industrialisation
• How was the Politics of the Radicals within the Congress different from that of the Moderates?
• Definition, Types, and Megaliths in India
• Rowlatt Satyagraha
• Opportunities for Lower Castes in British Period
• Diwani Rights
• Bharat Mata Painting
• Different Forms of Non-cooperation Movement
• What was the Role of Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran Movement?
• Permanent Settlement- Meaning, Features and Impact
• Faraizi Uprising
• Classify states into four groups each having common boundaries with Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar
• Discuss the developments of the 1937-47 period, that led to the creation of Pakistan
• What were the problems created by permanent settlement?
• In what ways was the administration of the Company different from Indian Rulers?
• B.R.Ambedkar and his Contribution
• In what ways was the history of the Gonds different from that of the Ahoms? Were there any similarities?
• Bahmani Kingdom
• Quit India Movement - Date, History, Causes, and Significance

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan has served as the President of India from 1962 to 1967. He was born on the 5th of September,1888 in Tiruttani, Madras Presidency during the British rule in India. He also served as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952 and Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962.

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday on September 5th is celebrated as “Teachers Day” in India. He has been awarded various national and International awards such as ” Bharat Ratna ” India’s highest civilian award and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire It was awarded by the British government for his services to education.

Table of Content

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Sarvepalli radhakrishnan: early life, sarvepalli radhakrishnan: education, sarvepalli radhakrishnan: family, sarvepalli radhakrishnan: academic career, sarvepalli radhakrishnan: political career, sarvepalli radhakrishnan: awards and honours, sarvepalli radhakrishnan: literary works.

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the second President of India from 1962 to 1967and he also served as the first Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962 and Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. He was a Scholar, Politician, Philosopher and Statesman from India.

He was honoured with various National and International awards for his work in education,literature and politics sector he was awarded with Bharat Ratna in 1954 and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1931 and honoured or recognised many times.

He spent his early life in mainly two towns of Tamil Nadu which is Thiruttani and Tirupati He at gained his early education at Thiruttani’s K.V High School after that he completed his higher education where where Madras Christian College he earned his both his  Bachelor’s degree in 1904 and a master’s degre in 1906  from Madras Christian College, majoring in  philosophy .

• Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on the 5th of September,1888 in Tiruttani (Tamil Nadu) at the time of Telugu British rule in India and he was born to a telgu speaking Niyogi Brahmin family in Tiruttani,Madras presidency, present-day British India which is present day Tamil Nadu, India.
• His father’s name was Sarvepalli Veeraswami who was a subordinate revenue official in the service of a local Zamindar and his mother was Sarvepalli Sita.
• His family is from Savepalli village in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district . He spent his early life in mainly two towns of Tamil Nadu which is Thiruttani and Tirupati .
• He gained his primary education from Thiruttani’s K.V High School Government Government .In 1896, he was transferred to Tirupati’s Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School and Walajapet’s Goverment High Secondary School.
• he admitted was admitted to Vellore Voorhes College and in his teenage at the age of 17 he enrolled in Madras Christian College .There he earned both his  Bachelor’s degree in 1904 and  Master’s degree in 1906  from Madras Christian College, majoring in  philosophy .
• During his bachelor’s its he published his first thesis titled – “The Ethics of Vedanta and its metaphysical Presuppositions Vedanta, “.
• In his thesis, he addressed concerned criticism that the Vedanta professors philosophy laced ethical foundations . His two proffesers Rev. William Meston and Dr Alfred George Hogg prised his work and the thesis was published when we were Radhakrishnan Radhakrishnan Radhakrishnan Radhakrishnan 20 years old.
• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was married to Sivakamu at the young age of 16.
• Radhakrishnan was happily married with Sivakamu for over 51 years but in 1956 his wife died.
• Radhakrishnan had Six children of which he had five daughters and one son.
• Sarvepalli Gopal is his son , he was also a well known historian and he authored his father’s biography named -“Radhakrishnan: A Biography ” and he written Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru biography named – Jawaharlal Nehru : A Biography.

In 1909, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was appointed to the Department of Philosophy at  Madras Presidency College .

• In 1918, His became Professor of Philosophy at the  University of Mysore , teaching at Maharaja’s College. Published articles and his first book, “The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore.”
• In 1921,  awarded the prestigious  King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science  at the  University of Calcutta .
• In 1926, He represented the University of Calcutta at academic conferences in the UK and the US.
• In 1929, He delivered the  Hibbert Lectures  at Oxford, later published as “An Idealist View of Life.”
• In 1931,  Knighted by the British crown, receiving the title  Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan  (relinquished after India’s independence).
• In 1936, He was appointed  Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics  at  Oxford University  and elected  Fellow of All Souls College . Nominated for the  Nobel Prize in Literature .
• In 1939, He became  Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University .
• From 1948 to 49 He Served as  Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University .

National Award

• Bharat Ratna (1954):  India’s highest civilian award, recognizing his exceptional service to the nation.

International Awards

• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1931:  Awarded by the British government for his services to education.
• Pour le Merite for Arts and Sciences in 1954:  Awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his contributions to intellectual life.
• Sash First Class of the Order of the Aztec Eagle in 1954:  Awarded by the Mexican government in recognition of his work promoting cultural understanding.
• Honorary Membership of the Order of Merit in 1963:  Awarded by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, recognizing his distinguished service in the fields of science, art, literature, and government.

Other Recognitions

• Nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature:  He was celebrated on several occasions (1936, 1937, and others) for his literary and philosophical works.
• The first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (1968):  The highest literary honour Academy Academy ed by the Sahitya Akademi, India’s national academy of Letters Teachers Day .
• Templeton Prize (1975):  Awarded shortly before his death, recognizing his outstanding contributions to affirming the spiritual dimension of life.
• Vera Gedroits Biography
• Mahatma Gandhi Biography
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy Biography

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography – FAQs

What did sarvapalli radhakrishnan teach.

After pursing MA degree in Philosophy in 1908, the charismatic leader was appointed as a faculty member by the Department of Philosophy at Madras Presidency College. Radhakrishna’s only aim was to impart students with the best education.

Why is Teachers Day Radhakrishnan celebrated on the ?

Teachers’ Day in India is celebrated every year on September 5 to mark the birth anniversery of Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.He was a former President of India, scholar, philosopher and Bharat Ratna recipient. On Teachers’ Day 2023, students all over the country pay respect and tribute to their teachers.

What are some important facts about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

In the year 1962,he became the second president of India.He was also nominated 16 times for the Nobel Prize in Literature and nearly 11 times for the Nobel Peace Prize. In the year 1948, Radhakrishnan was elected chairman of UNESCO’s executive board.

What is the education of Dr.Radhakrishnan?

Radhakrishnan’s early education took place in Thiruttani and Tirupati, but it was at Madras Christian College where he truly excelled, graduating in 1906 with a Master’s degree in Philosophy

How old was Radhakrishnan honour Academy when he died?

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan passed away on April 17, 1975 , in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.He was 86 years old .

Please Login to comment...

• School History
• Social Science
• 10 Best Zoho Vault Alternatives in 2024 (Free)
• 10 Best Twitch Alternatives in 2024 (Free)
• Top 10 Best Cartoons of All Time
• 10 Best AI Instagram Post Generator in 2024
• 30 OOPs Interview Questions and Answers (2024)

Improve your Coding Skills with Practice

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) – Biography, Contributions, Works

Prelims Sureshots » Important Personalities of Modern India

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an illustrious Indian philosopher, academician and statesman who served as the first Vice-President and the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. He was a brilliant student from a young age and went on to become one of the most influential figures in Indian history. Radhakrishnan was a renowned scholar of Hinduism, Indian philosophy, and comparative religion, and his works have been translated into numerous languages. He was a prominent advocate of religious tolerance, peace and non-violence, and he was influential in shaping the educational system of modern India. His birth anniversary is celebrated as Teachers’ Day in India.

This topic of “Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) – Biography, Contributions, Works” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination , which falls under General Studies Portion.

Early Life and Education

Radhakrishnan was born in Thiruttani, Madras Presidency, British India on 5 September 1888. His father, Sarvepalli Veeraswami, was a subordinate revenue official in the service of a local zamindar (landlord). His mother, Sitamma, was a devout housewife. Radhakrishnan was educated in Thiruttani, Kumbakonam, and Tirupati, and attended Christian College in Madras for his undergraduate degree. After completing his B.A. in philosophy and English literature, he went on to pursue an M.A. in philosophy from the same college.

Radhakrishnan’s academic career was illustrious, and he was awarded the prestigious titles of “Sir” and “Doctor” of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in 1916. He was appointed professor of philosophy at the Madras Presidency College in 1918, and then professor of philosophy at the Calcutta University from 1921 to 1923. During this time, he wrote several books, including The Principal Upanishads, Eastern and Western Religion, Indian Philosophy, and The Bhagavad Gita.

Express Learning Programme (ELP)

• Optional Notes
• Study Hacks
• Prelims Sureshots (Repeated Topic Compilations)
• Current Affairs (Newsbits, Editorials & In-depths)
• Ancient Indian History
• Medieval Indian History
• Modern Indian History
• Post-Independence Indian History
• World History
• Art & Culture
• Geography (World & Indian)
• Indian Society & Social Justice
• Indian Polity
• International Relations
• Indian Economy
• Environment 
• Agriculture
• Internal Security
• Disasters & its Management
• General Science – Biology
• General Studies (GS) 4 – Ethics
• Syllabus-wise learning
• Political Science
• Anthropology
• Public Administration

SIGN UP NOW

Career and Achievements

Radhakrishnan was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University in 1931 and served in this position for five years. During his tenure, he established several educational institutions and wrote several books, including An Idealist View of Life and The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy. In 1936, he was appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at the University of Oxford.

Radhakrishnan was widely recognized for his scholarship, and he was awarded honorary doctorates from several universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, and Harvard. He was also invited to deliver lectures at major universities around the world, including Harvard and the University of Chicago.

Radhakrishnan was active in Indian politics and served as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly of India and the UNESCO Executive Board. He was appointed Vice-President of India in 1952, and in 1962 he became the second President of India, serving until 1967.

Prelims Sureshots – Most Probable Topics for UPSC Prelims

A Compilation of the Most Probable Topics for UPSC Prelims, including Schemes, Freedom Fighters, Judgments, Acts, National Parks, Government Agencies, Space Missions, and more. Get a guaranteed 120+ marks!

Radhakrishnan was a great philosopher and thinker, and his works have been widely studied and admired. His philosophy was based on Advaita Vedanta, which is a form of Hinduism that emphasizes the essential unity of all existence. He believed that all religions are fundamentally the same, and that truth is relative and not absolute.

His thesis for his MA degree was titled, ‘The Ethics of the Vedanta & its Metaphysical Presuppositions’. In this paper, he defended Vedanta against the charge that it lacked ethicality. He defended Hinduism against “uninformed Western criticism” and played a major role in the formation of contemporary Hindu identity. He was deeply influenced by Swami Vivekananda .

Literary Works

Radhakrishnan’s literary works were quite impressive. His book, ‘The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore ’, attracted global attention to Indian philosophy. His other works include Indian Philosophy (1923-27), The Philosophy of the Upanishads (1924), An Idealist View of Life (1932), Eastern Religions and Western Thought (1939), East and West: Some Reflections (1955), The Hindu View of Life (1926), Kalki, or the Future of Civilization (1929), Religion and Society (1947), The Bhagavadgītā: with an introductory essay, The Dhammapada (1950), 194 pages, Oxford University Press, The Principal Upanishads (1953), Recovery of Faith (1956), A Source Book in Indian Philosophy (1957), and The Brahma Sutra: The Philosophy of Spiritual Life.

Awards and Honours

• Radhakrishnan held several important positions and was awarded many honours.
• He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award in 1954.
• He received a knighthood in 1931.
• However, after India’s independence, he stopped using his title ‘Sir’ and used the prefix ‘Dr.
• He was also given honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963.
• He was elected chairman of UNESCO’s executive board in 1948.
• He was one of the founders of Helpage India, a renowned NGO for elderly underprivileged in India.
• He also had formed the Krishnarpan Charity Trust along with Ghanshyam Das Birla and some other social workers.
• He was the first Indian to hold a chair at the University of Oxford as a Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics (1936-1952).
• In 1930, he was appointed Haskell lecturer in Comparative Religion at the University of Chicago.

Radhakrishnan died at his home in Madras (now Chennai) on 17 April 1975 at the age of 86. He had been in ill health for some time leading up to his death. His death was widely mourned in India, and he was accorded a state funeral.

Radhakrishnan is remembered as one of India’s most iconic figures in modern history. His works remain influential, and his philosophy of tolerance, peace, and non-violence has been widely adopted in India and around the world. He is also remembered for his contribution to the educational system of modern India, and for his efforts in promoting religious tolerance and understanding.

Related Posts

V.K. Krishna Menon (1896-1974): Defending India’s Sovereignty

Sahajanand Saraswati – Biography, Contributions, Literary Works

Vinayak Damodar Sarvarkar (1883-1966): The Torchbearer of Hindutva and...

There was a problem reporting this post.

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

• See blocked member's posts
• Mention this member in posts

Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography, Early Life, Achievements

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian politician, philosopher, and statesman who served as the 2nd president of India from 1962-1967. Read all about Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in this article.

Table of Contents

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian politician, philosopher, and statesman who served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967. He previously served as the first vice president of India from 1952 to 1962. He was the second ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian statesman, philosopher, politician, and academic. He was India’s second President and first Vice President . As a writer, Radhakrishnan dedicated his life to elucidating, defending, and promoting his religion, which he variously referred to as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit. He aimed to demonstrate the intellectual and ethical viability of Hinduism.

He frequently exhibits comfort with both Indian and Western intellectual settings, and his writing frequently incorporates both Western and Indian sources. As a result, Radhakrishnan has gained praise in academic circles as a representation of Hinduism in the West.

Check here the Role of Education in society and the Role of teachers in students’ lives in different aspects.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan History

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a well-known Indian philosopher, academic, and statesman, had a major impact on the development of India’s intellectual and educational climate in the 20th century. On September 5, 1888, he was born in Tiruttani, a town in what is now Tamil Nadu but was once the Madras Presidency of British India. Radhakrishnan was elected as India’s first vice president in 1952 and held the position till 1962. During his time as Vice President, he was renowned for providing dignified and efficient leadership. He was elected president of India in 1962 and served in that capacity until 1967. He placed a strong emphasis on the value of culture and education during his reign.

As a visionary philosopher, an advocate for education, and a statesman who represented India on the international stage, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is remembered. His initiatives to advance knowledge of Indian philosophy and culture both in India and abroad have had a long-lasting effect. He went away on April 17, 1975, but generations of academics, teachers, and leaders in India and elsewhere are still motivated by his legacy.

  Shivaram Hari Rajguru Biography

Who is Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan a leader, politician, philosopher, and academic from India, . He first served as India’s vice president before becoming the nation’s second president. Writing about, defending, and promoting his beliefs—which he referred to as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit—was Radhakrishnan’s life’s work. He made an effort to show how his Hinduism was both morally and intellectually sound. His prose contains both Western and Indian components, and he seems at home in both Indian and Western intellectual traditions. As a result, Radhakrishnan has received appreciation in academic circles as a representation of Hinduism in the West.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Biography

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s Early Life

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on September 5th, 1888. He was born into a Telugu-speaking Niyogi Brahmin family in Tiruttani, Madras Presidency, British India, which is now Tamil Nadu, India. His mother’s name was Sarvepalli Sita, and his father was Sarvepalli Veeraswami, a subordinate revenue official working for a local zamindar. His family originates from Sarvepalli village in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district. He was raised in the cities of Thiruttani and Tirupati. Radhakrishnan received a number of scholarships throughout his academic career.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Education

• He studied in Thiruttani’s K.V. High School for his primary education.
• He transferred to the Government High Secondary School in Walajapet and the Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati in 1896.
• He registered at Vellore’s Voorhees College to complete his high school education.
• After completing First of Arts, he applied to Madras Christian at the age of 17.
• In 1906, he obtained both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the same college.
• “The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions,” Sarvepalli wrote for his bachelor’s degree thesis. It was created in reaction to the charge that the Vedanta philosophy disregarded ethics.
• Two of Radhakrishnan’s teachers, Rev. William Meston and Dr. Alfred George Hogg, gave his dissertation high marks. His thesis was published when Radhakrishnan was barely twenty years old.

Bhagat Singh Biography

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Family

At the age of 16, Sivakamu and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan were wed. Radha Krishnan’s distant relative Sivakamu was born. For more than 51 years, Radhakrishnan and Sivakamu were a happy couple. Five daughters and one son were among Radhakrishnan’s six offspring. His son, the eminent historian Sarvepalli Gopal, was an Indian. He wrote the biographies of Jawaharlal Nehru and his father, Radhakrishnan: A Biography.

S. Radhakrishnan Academic Career

In April 1909, Radhakrishnan was appointed to the philosophy department at Madras Presidency College. He lectured at the Maharaja’s College in Mysore before being named Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore in 1918. While attending Maharaja’s College, he contributed a number of publications to famous magazines including The Quest, Journal of Philosophy, and International Journal of Ethics. In addition, he completed Rabindranath Tagore’s Philosophy, his debut book. He asserted that Tagore’s thought was “the genuine expression of the Indian spirit.” The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy, his second book, was released in 1920.

He was appointed as a professor of philosophy in 1921 and held the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta. He attended the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University in September 1926 after attending the British Empire Universities Congress in June 1926 on behalf of the University of Calcutta. His acceptance of the Hibbert Lecture on the Ideals of Life, which he delivered at Manchester College, Oxford in 1929 and was later published in book form as “An Idealist View of Life,” was another important intellectual milestone during this time. Radhakrishnan received an invitation to Manchester College in 1929 to take over for outgoing principal J. Estlin Carpenter. As a result, he had the chance to educate University of Oxford undergraduates on comparative religion.

George V knighted him in June 1931 for his contributions to education, and the Earl of Willingdon, the Governor-General of India, formally invested him with his accolade in April 1932. He ceased using the title once India gained its independence and began using his academic title, Doctor. He was the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. At the University of Oxford, Radhakrishnan was selected as a Fellow of All Souls College and appointed the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics in 1936.

In 1937, he was put forward for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Even until the 1960s, nominations for the prize kept coming in. He accepted an invitation in 1939 to take over as Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) from Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya. From January 1948 to January 1949, he served as its Vice-Chancellor.

S. Radhakrishnan Political Career

Radhakrishnan started his political career later in life after an academic career that showed promise. After his international influence, he began his political career. His support for renaming the Ceded Districts division of the Madras Presidency Rayalaseema came from his attendance at the Andhra Mahasabha in 1928. He was nominated to the League of Nations Committee for Intellectual Cooperation in 1931, where he rose to prominence as a Hindu authority on Indian thought and a persuasive interpreter of the significance of Eastern institutions in modern society in the eyes of the West. After India’s independence, Radhakrishnan became increasingly involved in both domestic and international politics.

From 1946 to 1951, Radhakrishnan served as the chairman of the Indian delegation and sat on the Executive Board of the newly established UNESCO . In the two years that followed India’s independence, Radhakrishnan also served in the Indian Constituent Assembly. Radhakrishnan had to strike a balance between the demands of the University Commission and his ongoing duties as the Spalding Professor at Oxford and his commitments to UNESCO and the Constituent Assembly . When the Universities Commission’s report was finished in 1949, Radhakrishnan was chosen to serve as India’s ambassador to Moscow by Jawaharlal Nehru, who was the country’s prime minister at the time.

He kept this position until 1952. Radhakrishnan was able to put his philosophical and political convictions into action when he was elected to the Rajya Sabha . Radhakrishnan was chosen as India’s first vice president in 1952, and he was chosen as the nation’s second president in 1962. Radhakrishnan observed a growing demand for world peace and intergroup harmony while he was in government. Radhakrishnan was made acutely aware of the significance of this need as he watched many world crises develop. When he was appointed Vice President, the Korean War had already begun.

Political disputes with China in the early 1960s, followed by hostilities between India and Pakistan, dominated Radhakrishnan’s administration. As a result of the Cold War’s division of East and West, both are on the defensive and distrustful of one another. Radhakrishnan questioned the polarising potential and domineering nature of what he perceived to be self-proclaimed international groups like the League of Nations. Instead, he argued for the advancement of an original internationalism that put a special emphasis on the metaphysical underpinnings of holistic experience. Only then will tolerance and respect for other cultures and nations be promoted.

Radha Krishnan Philosophical Thoughts

By defending Hinduism from misinformed Western criticism and incorporating Western intellectual and religious ideals, Radhakrishnan sought to meld Eastern and Western ideas.

One of the most effective spokespersons for Neo-most Vedanta was Radhakrishnan. Although he reworked Advaita Vedanta for a contemporary audience, his metaphysics was based on it. He was aware of the goodness and variety of human nature, which he believed to be supported by and founded in the ultimate, or Brahman.

For Radhakrishnan, theology and creeds are both intellectual formulations and representations of religious experience or intuitive beliefs. Advaita Vedanta received the highest rating from Radhakrishnan when it came to how each religion interpreted religious experience.

Radhakrishnan believed that Advaita Vedanta was the best representation of Hinduism since it was based on intuition as opposed to the intellectually mediated concepts of other religions.

Since Vedanta offers the most immediate intuitive experience and inner realisation, Radhakrishnan claims that it is the highest kind of religion. Radhakrishnan was critical of Western culture and philosophy despite his familiarity with it. He asserted that in spite of their assertions to the contrary, Western philosophers were inspired by religious ideas from their own culture.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Death

On November 26, 1956, Radha Krishnan’s Sivakamu passed away. He was a widower until his death and never got married again. Radhakrishnan retired from public life in 1967. He lived in the home he created in Mylapore, Madras, during the final eight years of his life. The death of Radhakrishnan happened on April 17, 1975.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

In 1954, Radhakrishnan received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour. For his contributions to education, King George V knighted him in 1931. In 1954, Germany awarded him the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts in recognition of his achievements. He received the Sash First Class of the Order of the Aztec Eagle from Mexico in 1954 as a mark of honour.

In 1961, he received the German Book Trade Peace Prize. He was the first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi fellowship, the highest prize bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer, in 1968. In honour of Radhakrishnan’s conviction that educators should possess the best minds on the planet, India has observed Teacher’s Day on September 5 since 1962.

In 1963, the United Kingdom recognised him by inducting him into the Order of Merit. He received a record-breaking 27 nominations for the Nobel Prize. 11 times for the Nobel Peace Prize and 16 times in literature. He was chosen as a Fellow of the British Academy in 1938.

• He was awarded the Templeton Prize in 1975 for advocating nonviolence and sharing a universal understanding of God that encompassed understanding and compassion for all people.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s Literary works

The following the literary works by Dr. Sarvepali Radhakrishan:-

• In 1931, King George V knighted him for his contributions to education.
• In 1954, Radhakrishnan received the highest civilian award in India, the Bharat Ratna, Germany recognised him by awarding him the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, and Mexico honours him by awarding him the Sash First Class of the Order of the Aztec Eagle.
• In 1961, he received the German Book Trade Peace Prize. He was the first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi fellowship, the highest prize bestowed by the Sahitya Akademi on a writer, in 1968.
• In honour of Radhakrishnan’s conviction that educators should possess the best minds on the planet, India has observed Teacher’s Day on September 5 since 1962.
• In 1963, the United Kingdom bestowed upon him the accolade of membership in the Order of Merit. He received a record-breaking 27 nominations for the Nobel Prize. 11 times for the Nobel Peace Prize and 16 times in literature. He was chosen as a Fellow of the British Academy in 1938.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan UPSC

One of the most well-known and eminent Indian philosophers in academic circles of the 20th century was the academic, philosopher, and statesman Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Writing about, defending, and spreading his religion—which he variously referred to as Hinduism, Vedanta, and the religion of the Spirit—was the focus of Radhakrishnan’s whole life and literary career. He was well-known for his academic prowess and as a teacher rather than for being known as Radhakrishnan’s President.

Sharing is caring!

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography FAQs

Why sarvepalli radhakrishnan was so famous.

A symbol of academics and education, Radhakrishnan was a renowned philosopher, statesman as well as a teacher. A symbol of academics and education, Radhakrishnan was a renowned philosopher, statesman as well as a teacher. He is remembered for being one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century.

Why Dr Radhakrishnan birthday is celebrated as Teacher's Day?

This is because after he took charge as the President of India in 1962, some students sought permission from him to celebrate his birthday. Dr Radhakrishnan, however, did not approve any fancy celebration but rather requested that the day be observed as Teachers' Day.

Who is Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 5 points?

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the first Vice President and the second President of free India. He was famous for being an outstanding teacher, philosopher, and statesman. He became an icon for education and teaching; therefore, his birthday on the 5th of September is celebrated as Teacher's day every year.

Why is September 5 Teachers Day?

5th September is the birth anniversary of the second president of India Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan who was a great philosopher, teacher and scholar. As a way to remember and celebrate his life, work, and approach to education and students, the day is known in India as Teachers' Day.

Who was the 2nd President of India?

5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975; natively Radhakrishnayya) was an Indian politician, philosopher, and statesman who served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• UPSC Online Coaching
• UPSC Exam 2024
• UPSC Syllabus 2024
• UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024
• UPSC Mains Syllabus 2024
• UPSC Exam Pattern 2024
• UPSC Age Limit 2024
• UPSC Calendar 2024
• UPSC Syllabus in Hindi
• UPSC Full Form

Recent Posts

• UPPSC Exam 2024
• UPPSC Calendar
• UPPSC Syllabus 2024
• UPPSC Exam Pattern 2024
• UPPSC Application Form 2024
• UPPSC Eligibility Criteria 2024
• UPPSC Admit card 2024
• UPPSC Salary And Posts
• UPPSC Cut Off
• UPPSC Previous Year Paper

BPSC Exam 2024

• BPSC 70th Notification
• BPSC 69th Exam Analysis
• BPSC Admit Card
• BPSC Syllabus
• BPSC Exam Pattern
• BPSC Cut Off
• BPSC Question Papers

IB ACIO Exam

• IB ACIO Salary
• IB ACIO Syllabus

CSIR SO ASO Exam

• CSIR SO ASO Exam 2024
• CSIR SO ASO Result 2024
• CSIR SO ASO Exam Date
• CSIR SO ASO Question Paper
• CSIR SO ASO Answer key 2024
• CSIR SO ASO Exam Date 2024
• CSIR SO ASO Syllabus 2024

Study Material Categories

• Daily The Hindu Analysis
• Daily Practice Quiz for Prelims
• Daily Answer Writing
• Daily Current Affairs
• Indian Polity
• Environment and Ecology
• Art and Culture
• General Knowledge
• Biographies

IMPORTANT EXAMS

• Terms & Conditions
• Return & Refund Policy
• Privacy Policy

Subscribe Now! Get features like

• Latest News
• Entertainment
• Real Estate
• CSK vs RCB Live Score
• Election Schedule 2024
• IPL 2024 Schedule
• Bihar Board Results
• The Interview
• Web Stories
• IPL Points Table
• IPL Purple Cap
• IPL Orange Cap
• Mumbai News
• Bengaluru News
• Daily Digest

On Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan's death anniversary, tributes pour in for former president

On dr sarvepalli radhakrishnan's death anniversary, several political leaders remembered his contribution to the field of education..

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was considered one of India's top scholars in the fields of comparative religion and philosophy. Born in Thiruttani in the erstwhile Madras Presidency, he became the country's second president in 1962, succeeding Rajendra Prasad and was also the first to hold the post of the vice president. On his death anniversary on Monday, tributes poured in from across the nation to honour the notable scholar, who was born on September 5, 1888, which is nationally observed as Teachers’ Day in India.

Leaders including Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal , his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Union minister Kailash Choudhary, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath paid tributes to the former president.

Also Read: Here are some facts about Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Kejriwal remembered Radhakrishnan’s contribution to the field of education and tweeted, “Humble tribute to the great educationist and former President of the country, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan on his death anniversary. He is still remembered as an ideal teacher for his contribution in the field of education.”

While MP CM Chouhan tweeted “Only through education can the human mind be utilized - Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. "Tributes to the great teacher, Bharat Ratna, former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan ji on his death anniversary. Your energetic thoughts will always educate and inspire the youth to build a strong India.”

Congress CMs Baghel and Ashok Gehlot also echoed similar sentiments, paying tribute to the phenomenal leader and remembered his “incomparable contribution to nation building”.

"Tributes to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India, on his death anniversary. Dr. Radhakrishnan considered education as a mission. He carried the dedication and commitment towards education in his life as an ideal teacher. His values of knowledge will always inspire future generations.

Honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1954, Radhakrishnan was the first to be given Sahitya Akademi fellowship, the highest honour granted by the Sahitya Akademi to a writer. Married at the age of 16, he passed away on April 17, 1975 at the age of 86. Among his many achievements, the former president is credited for having made Hinduism more readily accessible to the Western audience.

Trainee Content Producer at HT Digital. I read about feminism, late modern history, and globalisation of Korean music. ...view detail

• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
• Death Anniversary

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like.

• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Weather Today
• HT Newsletters
• Subscription
• Print Ad Rates
• Code of Ethics

• Elections 2024
• India vs England
• T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule
• IPL 2024 Auctions
• T20 World Cup 2024
• Cricket Players
• ICC Rankings
• Cricket Schedule
• Other Cities
• Income Tax Calculator
• Budget 2024
• Petrol Prices
• Diesel Prices
• Silver Rate
• Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Telugu Cinema
• Tamil Cinema
• Exam Results
• Competitive Exams
• Board Exams
• BBA Colleges
• Engineering Colleges
• Medical Colleges
• BCA Colleges
• Medical Exams
• Engineering Exams
• Horoscope 2024
• Festive Calendar 2024
• Compatibility Calculator
• The Economist Articles
• Explainer Video
• On The Record
• Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
• EPL 2023-24
• ISL 2023-24
• Asian Games 2023
• Public Health
• Economic Policy
• International Affairs
• Climate Change
• Gender Equality
• future tech
• Daily Sudoku
• Daily Crossword
• Daily Word Jumble
• HT Friday Finance
• Explore Hindustan Times
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Subscription - Terms of Use

• Home (current)
• Intellectual Property Law
• Constitutional Developments
• Protests and Riots
• Recent Updates
• Criminal Law
• Finology Legal

Dr. Radhakrishnan Biography: Why Teacher's Day is celebrated on 5th September?

Teacher's Day is one of the most cherished memories for all of us, where we got to plan a special day for our teachers, filled with rehearsals & school decorations. However, we often overlook the man behind the celebration - Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, born on September 5, 1888. This remarkable philosopher, scholar, and India's second President dedicated his life to education and philosophy. 

So, have you ever wondered how Teacher’s Day originated in India? 

Let’s delve into this article and learn 10 most interesting facts on Dr Radhakrishnan along with a small heart-touching story on why we celebrate Teacher's Day on 5th September.

How did Teacher’s Day originate in India?

The story is very heart- touching. In 1962, some of his former students and friends approached & requested him to celebrate his birthday, but Dr. Radhakrishnan suggested that instead of celebrating his birthday separately, it would be a privilege if 5th September is celebrated as Teachers' Day to honor all teachers. So, Teachers day has been celebrated in India since 1962.

Dr. Radhakrishnan’s opinion for the teachers was that the right kind of education could solve many ills of society and India as a whole.

In this very context, “Teachers lay the foundation of a civilized and progressive society. Their dedicated work and the pain they encounter to ensure that students turn out to be enlightened citizens deserve high recognition”.

10 Interesting Facts on Radhakrishnan

Dr. Radhakrishnan: A true teacher- He was an Indian politician, but despite being involved in politics, he was a true teacher at heart. He was keenly interested in teaching & philosophy, so his birthday was declared as Teachers' Day.

First Vice President of India- He became the first VP of India in 1952 and in 1962, he became the second President of independent India.

Also, let's not skip this! When he became the President of India, he accepted only Rs 2500 out of Rs 10,000 salary and the remaining amount was donated to the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund every month.

He was elected to the Constituent Assembly in 1946 & served as an ambassador to UNESCO and later to Moscow.

Radhakrishnan was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1954 and then in 1961, he was bestowed with the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. In 1963, he received the Order of Merit and in 1975, the Templeton prize for promoting the notion of “a universal reality of God that embraced love and wisdom for all people”.  Did you know he awarded all this prize money to Oxford University? 

Dr. Radhakrishnan left Mysore University in order to join the University of Calcutta. Amazingly, he was dropped at the station by his students from Mysore University in a carriage that had been decorated with flowers.

He served as the Vice-Chancellor at Andhra University from 1931-36, and then from 1939-1948, he was the Vice-Chancellor at Banaras Hindu University. He also served as the Chancellor from 1953-1962 at Delhi University.

What's not known to most of you is the fact that; Dr. Radhakrishnan earned accolades in Philosophy but studying this subject was not a choice but just a chance, when Dr. Radhakrishnan’s cousin passed on his philosophy textbooks to him, they automatically became his field. 

Serving as a bridge between East and West:

He made significant contributions to bridge the gap between Eastern and Western philosophies. He introduced Indian philosophy to the Western world and promoted intercultural understanding. 

In June 1926, he had the honour of representing the University of Calcutta at the Congress of the Universities of the British Empire. He presented the Hibbert Lecture on the subject of life's ideals & this insightful lecture was subsequently published in book format under the title "An Idealist View of Life."

He founded Helpage India, which is a non-profit organization for elderly and underprivileged people.

It is well said that "It’s the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom." 

– Michael Morpurgo

Though he took his last breath on 17 April 1975, we can't forget such a humble man who valued education so much & despite being a politician, devoted his entire life to teaching & philosophy. He gave Indians a new sense of esteem by making contributions to spreading Indian philosophy in Western nations. 

Did you find this article helpful?

She is a Legal Content Manager at Finology Legal! With a Masters in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), a BBA.LL.B from ITM University, and patent analyst training from IIPTA, she truly specializes in her field. Her passion for IPR and Criminal laws is evident from her advanced certification in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Profiling from IFS, Pune.

Liked What You Just Read? Share this Post:

Wanna share your views on this comment here:.

Related to this

Why Nathuram Godse killed Mahatma Gandhi?

IAS Hierarchy: Designations & Posts

10 Deadliest plane crashes in the world

Top 10 Major World Events of 2022

Types of Government around the World

Under constitutional developments.

Quit India Movement: Timeline, History & Significance

Buddhism: Origin, Founder & Rise

Tughlaq Dynasty: History & Rulers

Rise of jainism in india: history & facts.

SSC CGL Exam 2023: Revised Pattern, Syllabus & Exam Dates

Finology legal on facebook, finology legal on twitter.

Copyright © 2024 Finology Ventures Pvt. Ltd. | All Rights Reserved

Popular Tags

Popular authors.

Popular Posts

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography, Education and Career

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian politician, philosopher, and statesman who served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967.

October 18, 2023

Table of Contents

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , born on September 5, 1888, in Tirupati, India, emerged as a prominent figure not only as a teacher but also as an esteemed academic and influential politician. His early life in a modest Brahmin family did not deter him; instead, it fueled his determination to excel in academics. Frequent visits to universities in Andhra Pradesh, Mysore, and Calcutta gave him a broader perspective on education. His academic journey eventually led him to Oxford, where he served as a professor before achieving further heights in academia as the Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University and Banaras Hindu University.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian politician, philosopher, and statesman who served as the 2nd President of India from 1962 to 1967. He served as India’s first Vice President from 1952-1962. He was the second Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. 1949–1952. He was also the fourth Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) from 1939 to 1948 and the second Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is considered one of the most influential and distinguished scholars of comparative religion in the 20th century.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Early Life and Family

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born as Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in a Telugu-speaking family to Sarvepalli Veeraswami and Seethamma. He was the second of three siblings in Tiruttani, North Arcot district of the erstwhile Madras Presidency (now in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu). His family hails from Sarvepalli village in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. His early years were spent in Tiruttani and Tirupati. His father was a subordinate revenue clerk in the service of a local zamindar. At the age of 16, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan married Sivakamu. Sivakamu is a distant relative of Radha Krishnan. 

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Education

Tiruttani’s K.V. High School was where he received his primary education. In 1896, he went to the Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati and the Government Higher Secondary School in Walajapet. He attended Voorhees College, Vellore, for his high school studies. After completing his first art class at the age of 17, he joined Madras Christian College. In 1906, he received both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the same university. 

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Academic Career

• Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan joined the Department of Philosophy at Madras Presidency College in April 1909.
•  In 1918, the University of Mysore selected him as a professor of philosophy, where he taught at Maharaja’s College, Mysore. By that time, he had written several articles for prestigious journals such as The Quest, the Journal of Philosophy, and the International Journal of Ethics. He also completed his first book, The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore. He considered Tagore’s philosophy to be “the true expression of the Indian spirit.” His second book, The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy, was published in 1920. 
• In 1921, he was appointed as a professor of philosophy to occupy the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta. 
• He represented the University of Calcutta at the Congress of Universities of the British Empire in June 1926 and the International Congress of Philosophy at Harvard University in September 1926. 
• Another important academic engagement during this period was the invitation to deliver the Hibbert Lectures on the Ideals of Life, which he gave at Manchester College, Oxford, in 1929 and later published as An Idealist View of Life. 
• In 1929, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was invited to fill the position vacated by Principal J. Estlin Carpenter at Manchester College. This allowed him to lecture to students at the University of Oxford on comparative religion. 
• He was knighted by George V in the Birthday Honors of June 1931 for his education services. He was formally invested by the Governor-General of India, the Earl of Willingdon, in April 1932. 
• However, he ceased to use this title after attaining Indian independence, preferring his academic title of “Doctor.” He served as the Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University from 1931 to 1936.
• In 1939, he was invited to succeed Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya as Vice-Chancellor of BHU. He was its vice-chancellor from January 1948 to January 1949.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Political Career

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his political career “relatively late in life” after a successful academic career. His international prominence preceded his political career. He was one of the luminaries who supported renaming the Ceded Districts Division of the Madras Presidency to Rayalaseema at the Andhra Mahasabha in 1928. 

He was nominated to the League of Nations Committee on Intellectual Cooperation in 1931, where he was recognised as a Hindu authority on Indian thought and an inspiring interpreter of the role of Eastern institutions in contemporary society.

When India gained independence in 1947, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO (1946-52) and later served as India’s ambassador to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952. He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India. 

He was elected India’s first vice president in 1952 and India’s second president (1962-1967). He was not a member of the Congress Party, nor was he active in the Indian independence movement. He was a shadow politician who was motivated by his pride in Hindu culture and his defense of Hinduism against “ignorant Western criticism .”

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Philosophy

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second President of India, was a philosopher, statesman, and religious leader. His philosophy synthesised Eastern and Western thought, and he was a leading proponent of Neo-Vedantism.

• Advaita Vedanta: Radhakrishnan’s metaphysics was based on the Hindu philosophical tradition of Advaita Vedanta, which teaches that the world is an illusion (Maya) and that the only reality is the Absolute (Brahman). However, he reinterpreted Advaita Vedanta in a way that was compatible with modern thought. He accepted the reality and diversity of the world of experience, which he saw as supported and sustained by the Absolute.                                                          
• Intuition and religious experience: Dr. Sarvepalli believed that intuition, or direct experience of the Absolute, is the highest form of knowledge. He argued that intuition is a self-validating source of knowledge that is not mediated by conscious thought. He discerns eight sorts of experience: 
• Cognitive Experience:
• Sense Experience
• Discursive Reasoning
• Intuitive Apprehension
• Psychic Experience
• Aesthetic Experience
• Ethical Experience
• Religious Experience
• Classification of Religions: For Radhakrishnan, scriptures and cults are intellectual formulations and symbols of religious experience, or “religious intuition”. He classified different religions according to his understanding of “religious experience”, with Advaita Vedanta being placed at the highest level: 
• The worshippers of the Absolute
• The worshippers of the personal God
• The worshippers of incarnations like Rama, Krishna, and Buddha
• Those who worship ancestors, deities, and sages
• The worshippers of the petty forces and spirits

Teacher’s Day a Tribute to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Every year on September 5, India celebrates Teacher’s Day in tribute to the contributions of teachers to society. This is the day Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India, educationist, philosopher, and recipient of the Bharat Ratna, was born in 1888. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born into a poor Brahmin family in Thiruttani, Andhra Pradesh, and was a brilliant student who completed his education with the help of scholarships.

In 1962, when Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan became the second President of India, his students approached him to ask permission to celebrate September 5 as a special day in his honour. Instead, he proposed that September 5 be designated Teacher’s Day to honour the contributions of teachers to society. On this special day, the entire country pays tribute to Dr. Radhakrishnan, an outstanding teacher who was deeply loved by his students. Students also express their appreciation for their professors’ hard work and dedication, who have shaped their lives.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Literary Works

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a distinguished philosopher, politician, and educator, indelibly marked the world through his writing and philosophical insights. His books cover a wide range of topics, from philosophy to education to spirituality to religion. He contributed to many books. Here is a list of his books. 

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Awards & Honors

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a highly respected and accomplished individual who significantly contributed to India and the world. He was a true visionary who helped to shape the future of India. Here is the list of awards and honours given to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan:

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Death

Radhakrishan’s wife, Sivakamu, died on November 26, 1956. He never remarried and remained a widower till his death. In 1967, he stepped down from public life. He spent the last eight years of his life in his self-designed home in Mylapore, Madras. On April 17, 1975, he passed away.

Lesser Known Facts About Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Here are some lesser-known facts about Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan:

• When he became the President of India, he accepted only 2,500 rupees of his monthly salary of 10,000 rupees, with the remainder going to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.
• Oxford University established Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Chevening Scholarship and the Radhakrishnan Memorial Prize.
• In 1954, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna and, in 1961, the German Book Trade Peace Prize. He was also awarded the Order of Merit in 1963 and the Templeton Prize in 1975 for spreading the concept of a universal truth of God that includes compassion and knowledge for all people.
• He was knighted in 1931 and was known as Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan until India’s independence in 1947. After the country gained independence, he changed his name to Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
• He was appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University in 1936. He was also elected a Fellow of All Souls College.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan FAQs

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan followed Advaita Vedanta, a Hindu philosophical tradition.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was an Indian politician, philosopher, and statesman who served as the second President of India and the first Vice President.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a famous teacher as well as a great scholar of Indian philosophy.

He received awards like Bharat Ratna, Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts, and Templeton Prize.

Teachers' Day in India is celebrated every year on September 5 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

B.Ed Full Form, Bachelor of Education

National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2005)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

.st1{display:none} Related Articles

• EMRS Recruitment 2024, Exam Date, Eligibility, Apply Online
• CTET Online Coaching, Best CTET Coaching Institute, and Classes
• TET Exam 2024, Notification, Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus
• CTET 2024 July Notification Out, Apply Online Link, Eligibility
• CTET Exam Date 2024 Out for July Session, Check Exam Schedule
• CTET Application Form 2024, Apply Online Link Active for CTET July
• CTET Notification 2024 Out for July Session, Eligibility, Apply Online
• DSSSB TGT Domestic Science Teacher Recruitment 2024 Notification Out
• Bihar DELEd Answer Key 2024, Response Sheet, Raise Objection
• DSSSB TGT Computer Science Teacher Recruitment 2024 Notification Out

Discover the Inspiring Biography of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, originally named Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, was born into a Telugu-speaking family in Tiruttani, which was part of the North Arcot district in the erstwhile Madras Presidency (now in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu). He was the second of three siblings, born to Sarvepalli Veeraswami and Sithamma. The Radhakrishnan family hailed from Sarvepalli village in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. His formative years were spent in Thiruttani and Tirupati. Radhakrishnan’s father served as a subordinate revenue official under a local Zamindar (landlord). He received his primary education at K. V. High School in Thiruttani before moving on to the Hermansburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati and later to Government High Secondary School in Walajapet in 1896.

Education of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Radhakrishnan’s educational journey was marked by scholarships that supported him throughout. He initially attended Voorhees College in Vellore for his high school education. Following this, he joined the Madras Christian College, affiliated with the University of Madras, at the young age of 16. He completed his graduation in 1907 and obtained his master’s degree from the same institution.

Interestingly, Radhakrishnan’s path into philosophy was accidental. Due to financial constraints, he inherited philosophy textbooks from a cousin who had also studied at the same college. This serendipitous event led him to embrace the field of philosophy.

His bachelor’s degree thesis, titled “The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions,” aimed to counter the claim that Vedanta philosophy lacked ethical principles. Radhakrishnan’s work garnered praise from his professors, Rev. William Meston and Dr. Alfred George Hogg.

In his early academic years, Radhakrishnan’s faith was challenged by Christian critics of Indian culture, which prompted him to delve deeply into the study of Hinduism and Indian philosophy. He defended Hinduism against uninformed Western criticism while maintaining respect for his Christian teachers.

• Literature and Biography
• Henry Fielding Life and Works
• Robert Frost: Life and Works

“The Spirit of Abheda”

Radhakrishnan’s writings, including “The Ethics of the Vedanta,” sought to address misconceptions about Vedanta philosophy. He emphasized the concept of “The Spirit of Abheda,” advocating the view that all creation is interconnected and non-different. This perspective naturally led to an ethic of love and brotherhood, emphasizing the equal treatment of all individuals and the recognition of human dignity.

Marriage and Family Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

In May 1903, at the age of 16, Radhakrishnan entered into an arranged marriage with Sivakamu, who was ten years old at the time. The couple had five daughters named Padmavati, Rukmini, Sushila, Sundari, and Shakuntala, as well as a son named Sarvepalli Gopal, who later became a notable historian. Many of Radhakrishnan’s family members, including his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, pursued diverse careers across various fields worldwide. Notably, former Indian cricketer V. V. S. Laxman is his great-grandnephew. Sivakamu passed away on November 26, 1956, after being married to Radhakrishnan for approximately 53 years.

Academic Career

Radhakrishnan’s academic career was characterized by excellence. In April 1909, he joined the Department of Philosophy at the Madras Presidency College. Subsequently, in 1918, he was appointed Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore, where he taught at Maharaja’s College, Mysore. During this time, he authored numerous articles for esteemed journals and published his first book, “The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore.” He believed that Tagore’s philosophy represented the genuine spirit of India.

In 1921, Radhakrishnan assumed the position of a philosophy professor, holding the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta. His representation of the university at various international events enhanced his academic reputation. Notably, he delivered the Hibbert Lecture on the ideals of life at Manchester College, Oxford, in 1929, later published as “An Idealist View of Life.”

Radhakrishnan’s academic journey also led him to the University of Oxford, where he was appointed the Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics in 1936. He became a Fellow of All Souls College during his time at Oxford and received nominations for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1936 and 1937. In 1939, he was invited to serve as the Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

Political Career

Radhakrishnan’s political career began relatively late in life after a successful academic journey. He was initially known for his international authority before entering politics. He played a role in the Andhra Mahasabha in 1928, where he supported renaming the Ceded Districts division of Madras Presidency as Rayalaseema.

After India’s independence in 1947, Radhakrishnan represented India at UNESCO from 1946 to 1952 and served as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952. He was also a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.

Radhakrishnan was elected as the first Vice-President of India in 1952 and later served as the second President of India from 1962 to 1967. Despite his limited political background, his motivation was rooted in his pride in Hindu culture and his dedication to defending Hinduism against misinformed Western criticism.

Teacher’s Day

Upon becoming President of India, Radhakrishnan’s students and friends expressed a desire to celebrate his birthday, which falls on September 5th. In response, he suggested that instead of celebrating his birthday, the day should be observed as Teachers’ Day in India. Since then, September 5th has been celebrated as Teacher’s Day in honor of his commitment to education and teaching.

• The Tyger William Blake Poem Summary
• Indian English Literature In 19th Century