India is a land where the ‘Guru’ (teacher) has been given the status equal to God since the Ramayana and Mahabharat era.
The teachings of Guru Vishvamitra to Guru Dronacharya are still considered as the treasured verses. One of the most popular incidents is Arjun focusing on the ‘fish eye’, which is commonly used to preach the lesson of ‘focus on your goal’.
With years passing by, the grandeur of a teacher is definitely one thing which stayed intact.
Our motherland has produced some of the greatest beings of all times, who were not only great teachers, but brought revolutions in the country in their own way.
They are:
- Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan:
“The true teachers are those who help us think for ourselves.”
Who better than the legend himself because of whom Teacher’s Day is celebrated in the first place. The second President of free India, he was highly acknowledged as the teacher of the most complicated concepts of philosophy.
He taught at Madras Presidency College, University of Mysore and always laid great emphasis on spiritual education.
When teaching at home, he used to personally receive the students, offer them tea and even see them off at the end of the class.
On being asked by his students if they can celebrate his birthday, he insisted on celebrating his birthday as Teacher’s Day, and well as they say, rest his history.
- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
“Your best teacher is your last mistake”
A man of vision, a great scientist and India’s 11th President, Dr. Kalam is unforgettable in all his life roles. Popularly known as the Missile Man of India, he was never a mainstream thinker and always encouraged to enhance personal skills instead of merely holding an academic degree.
In his teaching days, he was a guest lecturer at IIM Shillong, Indore and Ahmedabad and was an honorary personality of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
He also taught IT at IIIT, Hyderabad and technology at Banaras Hindu University and Anna University.
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Rabindra Nath Tagore
“The main objective of teaching is not to give explanations, but to knock at the doors of the mind.”
Tagore’s contributions to our society still echoes every time the National Anthem is sung.
He took education beyond the concept of four walls and took classes under the trees. A literature scholar, he re-invented the concept of Gurukuls.
He used the funds from his writing and lecturing to expand upon the school he had founded in 1901 now known as Visva Bharati.
He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913, “because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West.”
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Savitribai Phule:
“Awake, arise and educate.
Smash traditions- Liberate”
The first female teacher of the first women’s school, she was the founder of modern Marathi Poetry.
It was a men’s world then it is a men’s world now, but with growing women empowerment.
Back in the day, she was the first one to lay emphasis on women’s calibre by working towards their upliftment and education.
She opened a school for the untouchable girls, the uncharted category of the society, with the help of her husband.
Even after facing challenges like people throwing stones at her and heavily criticizing her efforts, she kept on going with her teaching.
Later on the British Government honoured her contribution in the education section.
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Swami Vivekanand:
“If the poor cannot come to education, education must reach them at the plough, at the bakery factory, elsewhere”
Vivekanand is known as a synonym to a ‘teacher’. He is well known for his teachings which were reinterpreted and applied to various aspects of education, character building, faith as well as social issues pertaining to India during British rule.
Other than academic education, he focused on empowering children to handle different life situations and become responsible citizens.
He firmly believed in the individual potential of achievements.
Happy Teacher’s Day!
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