Teachers` day

Teachers`s day is celebrated on 5th September every year and  this is the day on which  Dr.S. Radhakrishnan was born in the year1888 inTiruttani,Madras. His father wanted him not to study English and become a priest but as the destiny be, he chose a different path and worked hard to reach to the position of being a great teacher.He was very popular among his students right from the beginning of his teaching career at Presidency College, Madras.He was offered the professorship of Calcutta University, when he was not even thirty years old which was a great honour to any educationist in those times.Then, he became the vice chancellor of Andhra University and served in this capacity for five years and then served as the vice chancellor of Banaras Hindu University for about two years.He was probably one of the very few teachers and not the politician who shouldered the responsibility of the Vice President of  a newly born independent democratic country.This was in the year 1952 and then he became the President of India in the year 1962. It was during this year that his birthday was marked as the teachers` day which was a proof of the respect and the position of the teacher in this great country. Respecting the 'Guru' has been the culture since the ancient times and his becoming the President was really a great honour for the teachers.Though in addition to being a President, he held many other coveted positions in his career but basically he remained a teacher always in whatever capacity he worked.Our first prime minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, who was his friend and great admirer once iterated the same for Dr. Radha Krishnan.He was conferred the highest award of the country, Bharat Ratna in the year 1954 in recognition of his selfless service for mankind.For the last almost fifty years his birthday is observed and celebrated as the teachers` day to convey our gratitude to our teachers and remember this great teacher who  is admired all over the world.
While going through one of the news papers today, I found something very surprising and it was, students conveying their gratitude to their teachers in different words and surprisingly in that list the names of college or school teachers were very few whereas the names of the tutors of the coaching centers were more.This made me to think about the change in the definition of the word-teacher.Have the teachers become the source of information  and not the role models for their students either in the school or the college or this is the impact of the commercialisation of everything? Are the news papers also becoming a party to the marketing strategies?My intention is not to question anybody`s respect and affection towards tutors but the important thing is, should it be done on the occasion of the teachers`s day when we not only remember our teachers but also pay our respect to a great teacher who gave that high an honour to the teaching fraternity?We must not forget that knowledge neither can be purchased nor snatched from somebody but it is acquired in the company of the selfless teachers.The real teachers are the ones who do not think in terms of money or the publicity but feel great and satisfied seeing their own students growing in the life. There cannot be a great honour for teachers but to see their students making them feel proud of their honest teachings.
As I always say that money is important for the teachers also but how much is the limit?Do the teachers want to be equated with corporate sector employees having bulky packages?For the teachers, teaching should not be just a profession but a passion and the mission of making their students valuable citizen of the nation.Though in today`s time it appears to be an uphill task but certainly not something which cannot be done and there are plenty of the teachers in our country who are doing exactly the same.Though neither they want to be highlighted that much nor the media brings them out to the larger public domain.The role of the teachers has become more challenging and important than what it was before and there are hundreds of thousands of teachers who are queue up to the task.Let media talk about them also and write their stories as well.For teachers also money should not be the sole criterion but the overall development of the children  should be the main focus and objective of their life. Our children have the same respect for great teachers as the children in the past.
I take this opportunity to remember all my Gurus and express my gratitude to all of them who taught me the lessons of life and did not give the subject knowledge only. I also acknowledge the efforts of all the teachers of the present time for their valuable services towards the future of the nation.Let us not talk much about the few for whom this has become the profession to earn money but remember those who are contributing without expecting anything in return as there have been teachers who worked efficiently both inside and outside the classroom settings and have imparted the fruit of knowledge to their students.
Happy teachers day to all great teachers in advance.

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