Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Of TEACHER' S DAY in India

Teacher's Day is celebrated in India on 5th September every year. It is celebrated in the memory of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan as he was born on 5th September in 1888. He was an eminent teacher and academic philosopher. Since he was elevated from a teacher to become the President of India, therefore, in order to mark his achievement his birth date is celebrated as Teacher's Day in India.

Though I as a teacher remain extremely heartened to receive good wishes on the Teacher's Day however it is difficult to appreciate the underlying logic of it. Why should we celebrate as Teacher's Day the birth date of someone who became the President of India from being a teacher. One would wish to celebrate Teacher's Day when a President would step down from his presidency and start to teach. How can someone who has left the teaching so as to hold the presidency be an ideal for teaching profession. Is it celebration and elevation of teachers or presidents!

It seems that we are so dissatisfied with teaching as a profession that the only great moment for teachers can be when they become presidents! Alas, We hope for a day and a nation which will celebrate teachers day when someone from the highest post would resign in order to become a teacher...That would truly be a moment to celebrate for all the teachers. I bid adieu and leave you with these immortal words of Sufi poet Omar Khayyam:

Ah love! could you and I with Him conspire
To grasp this sorry scheme of things entire,
Would not we shatter it to bits - and then
Re-mould it nearer to the heart's desire!

OMAR KHAYYAM, Rubiyat

2 comments:

  1. that is interesting way to look at this. However i take this occasion as an opportunity to thank you for inspiring students

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just two observations: 1. The practice of a concept and the thoughts that go behind it carries more weight than its origin and it also signifies something. 2. Teaching is not confined to the classroom. Saying this however, setting aside the logic of it, if the author finds being wished heartening so much the better.

    ReplyDelete