Teachers Day is an occasion to strengthen relationship between teachers and students
Teachers are the real builders of the lives of the students, who not only shape their lives but make them capable of shining like a light even after the whole world plunges into darkness. Teacher is like a beacon of light in the society, one who leads his disciples from darkness to light by showing the right path. The light that spreads through the knowledge of teachers is visible from afar.
Teacher’s Day is a great occasion to strengthen the relationship between teacher and student. Teacher’s Day is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm by the teachers and students in schools, colleges, universities and educational institutions. The day in India is celebrated in the honor of teachers who work hard throughout the year and want their students to perform well in school and other activities.
Teacher’s Day is celebrated at different times in more than one hundred countries of the world. The day is celebrated in India on September 5, the birthday of former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is celebrated as Teacher’s Day since 1962. He had expressed his desire to his students to celebrate his birthday as Teacher’s Day. Radhakrishnan, the former President of the country, was born on September 5, 1888, in a Bataman family in Tirumani village of Tamil Nadu. He was fond of reading books since childhood and was greatly influenced by Swami Vivekananda. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a great teacher who gave 40 years of his life to the teaching profession.
He was famous for his contribution and role as a teacher in the lives of students. That’s why he was the first person who thought about teachers and requested to celebrate September 5 as Teacher’s Day every year. He died on 17 April 1975 in Chennai. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his career as a philosophy teacher in 1909, entering the teaching profession at the Presidency College, Chennai. He taught philosophy in many famous universities like Banaras, Chennai, Kolkata, Mysore and abroad in universities like Oxford in London. Due to his dedication to the teaching profession, he was appointed Chairman of the University Scholarship Commission in 1949.
It is well a known fact that teachers play a big and important role in shaping our lives. They help us in many ways to achieve success. Like increase our knowledge, skill level, confidence etc and put our life in right shape. On this day, everyone should congratulate the teachers wholeheartedly for giving the right direction to the lives of countless students by doing their selfless service of teaching throughout their lives.
Kabir Das has explained the teacher’s work. He says that the teacher is like a potter and the student is like a pot of water which is made by him and during its construction he hits the pot from outside. He also keeps one hand inside to give support.
In the old times, teachers were given respect by touching their feet. But in today’s time both teacher and student have changed. Earlier, teaching was not a profession but an act of enthusiasm and a hobby. But now it has become only a means of making a living. It is true that our parents are our first teachers. They teach us a lot. This cannot be denied. But our real education begins when we go to school where we get knowledge from our teachers. Teachers play a very important role in a student’s life. A teacher plays many roles apart from being a guide, mentor, friend and much more. It is up to a student how he/she defines his teacher. Sant Tulsi Das has explained it very well in the following lines. Like the feeling left, the Lord saw the idol in three ways: Sant Tulsi Das has told that God, Guru will appear to a person as he thinks. For example, Arjuna considered Lord Krishna as his friend. The same Meera Bai was her lover to Lord Krishna. Similarly, it applies to the teacher as well.
Teacher’s Day is celebrated in many countries of the world including China, America, Australia, Albania, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan. The dateS of celebrating this day are different in every country. Teacher’s Day is celebrated on September 10 in China, May 6 in America, the last Friday of October in Australia, October 15 in Brazil and October 5 in Pakistan. Apart from this, February 28 is celebrated as Teacher’s Day in Oman, Syria, Mitra, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Morocco and many other Islamic countries.
On this Teacher’s Day, we should take a pledge to restore the dignity of teaching and teachers, which has got comprised due to different reasons and circumstances, and strengthen the relationship between teachers and students.
The author is a retired Principal and can be reached at [email protected]
The writer is Former PES-1, Retired Principal, Government Girls Senior Secondary School Mandi Harji Ram Malout Punjab.
