Omkar Dattatray
Teachers are in fact the human engineers and architects who are the builders of the nation as they build and mould the human personality and make humans fit for performing their roles in a democracy. Thus it is the teachers who modify the human behavior and so it can be safely said that the teachers are the human engineers and architects’ who build the human personalities so that the citizens are prepared to man the important positions in the society .So it is the teachers alone who are the builders of the nation as they provide the society with the people who have all the required qualities and attributes which can contribute to the building of the vibrant and dynamic democracy. Therefore, it is the teachers who perform the complex job of building necessary personalities for the democracy and the country. The Teachers’ day is celebrated every year on 5th of September which coincides with the birth anniversary of the great philosopher and politician late Dr Saravapalli Radha Krishnan who was the first Vice-President and second president of Independent India. He was a an acclaimed teacher and a great thinker therefore the Teachers’ day is celebrated to honour the memory of India’s first Vice-President and to commemorate the importance of teachers in our lives. The day is dedicated to the teachers who are the builders of the nation and who mould the personalities of the pupil and transform them into worthy and responsible citizens of the democracy. The teachers are in fact the human engineers who do not build the buildings but build the personalities of the people and therefore it can be said with certainty that the teachers are the human engineers. The work and duty of the real teacher is difficult as the teachers have to deal with the human beings who are psychological and social beings & to deal with the humans and mould them into worthy citizens for the democracy is the function which no one else than a teacher can perform. Therefore, the teacher’s job is not only a difficult but is very interesting also and those teachers are successful who are able to nurture and develop human personalities which are necessary for the working of a dynamic and successful democracy. The Teacher’s day is celebrated every year on 5th September with great fanfare and enthusiasm. Many functions and programmes are held on this day to remember and pay tribute to the best teacher and the second President of India Dr S. Radhakrishnan who had done excellent contribution in the education sector and to the teacher’s upliftment in the society. On the occasion of teacher’s day, functions are organized to throw light on the role of teachers who plays a vital role for the development of the human personality and for the development of the country. On 5th September the work of the teachers is appreciated and the best teachers are given awards to recognize their contribution. Many programs and functions are held throughout the country on the governmental and private levels to honour the best teachers. Therefore 5th September is the solemn occasion to appreciate and resolve to respect and revere the teaching community. In ancient India teachers were respected and revered by the society and the teacher’s profession is a noble profession and the contribution of the teachers towards the development of the society and the nation cannot be exaggerated. It is the teacher alone who is able to modify the human behavior and provide the worthy citizens to the country who are in a position to work as the agents of progress and change. Not only this, it is the teacher who provides the responsible and worthy citizens for the successful working of the democracy. Therefore, the teachers’ role is next to none in a country and especially in a democracy because the responsible and qualified citizens have to be provided to the country and this is the job which is done by the teaching community. So it is the bounden duty of all of us to respect and honor the teachers as the teacher’s job is a noble one and his contribution to the building of an egalitarian society and for the nation building cannot be denied or overlooked. It is in the fitness of things to mention that S. Radhakrishnan was an Indian philosopher and politician who served as the second president of free India from 1962 to 1967 and first vice-president of India from 1952 to 1962. He was the second ambassador of India to Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952 and fourth vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) from 1939 to 1948. As an educationist, he was an advocate of edification and was a distinguished envoy, academician, and above all a great teacher. Despite all his achievements and contributions, Dr. Radhakrishnan remained a teacher throughout his life. Thus he was an acclaimed personality, a best teacher and philosopher who had done enough for the betterment of the teaching fraternity and therefore this day is celebrated in his honor and for respecting the teaching community. On this day we resolve to revere and respect the teachers as they are the builders of the nation. Unarguably, teaching is the most influential job in the world. Teachers are known to shape the mind of youth and without knowledge no one can exist in this world. Teacher imparts good values among children and turns them into responsible citizens. As the common adage goes, the future of a country lies in the hands of its children, and teachers, as mentors, can mould students into future leaders who shape the destiny of India. They play an important role in our lives in helping us become successful in career and business. They help us to become good human beings, a better member of society, and an ideal citizen of the country. Teachers should be respected and honoured. In India, on the eve of Teachers’ Day, i.e. on 5th September, the National Teachers Awards are given to the meritorious teachers by the President of India. The awards are conferred as public gratitude to praiseworthy teachers working in primary schools, middle schools, and secondary schools. Even according to our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “Teaching is not a profession, a way of life”. Teaching is not a profession but “Jeevan Dharm” (a way of life) and asked teachers to understand changes happening across the world so that they can prepare the new generation to face them. In fact, it is a divine responsibility to guide and enlighten the people. He also said that India should regain the status of ‘Vishwaguru’ (leader in education) by giving high respect to teachers whom he asked to encourage students to think critically about issues concerning the nation. Teacher’s determination and sincerity will shape the destiny of the nation as they are laying the foundation and the building blocks of the society. It is worthwhile to mention here that Teachers’ Day is also celebrated to acknowledge the challenges, hardships, and special roles that teachers play in our lives. So, almost every country celebrates Teacher’s Day and in India, we celebrate this day on the birthday of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
He was a man of many good qualities and a favorite teacher among students. It was his request that his birthday should be celebrated as an honorable day for all the teachers in the country, in case someone is wishing to celebrate his birthday at all. So, in a nutshell, we celebrate Teacher’s Day because teachers have been the architects of the society and without them no society can walk in the path of progression. Moreover, a book written by Dr. Radhakrishnan titled “Political Thinkers of Modern India” in which he signified the importance of teachers and education in a country like Democratic India which was still in its early years of development. According to him, there is a huge role of teachers in nation building and for that sake teachers should be respected more. Apart from being a thinker and teacher he was also a philosopher. He once wrote a book on Bhaagwad Gita and there he defined a teacher as, “The one who emphasizes on presentation to converge different currents of thoughts to the same end”. By the time he entered politics, most of the leaders of that time like Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, or Dr. Rajendra Prasad were his fans for this thinking in nation building.
His skills were proven in the arena of politics also. He had the political insight to recognize the impediments well in advance and also carried the required courage to scold party leaders for their procrastination and delinquency. Way back in 1947, he warned the former Congress people about the alarming consequences of nepotism and corruption. We are still dealing with it now! Such a man of course requires a standing ovation. So, to promote the values and principles of a true teacher, this day is celebrated. To conclude it can be said that the teacher is next to God and thus the teachers are worthy of respect and deserve it from the society.
(The writer is a columnist, social and KP activist).