Every year on September 5, India celebrates Teachers’ Day to mark the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the country’s second President, philosopher and educationist. The day has a rather fitting origin. When his students and admirers wanted to celebrate his birthday, Radhakrishnan suggested that September 5 be observed as Teachers’ Day instead. Since then, the occasion has been dedicated to recognising teachers and their contribution to education.
Born in 1888, Radhakrishnan spent much of his life in academics and wrote extensively on Indian philosophy, religion and education. His understanding of education went beyond classrooms and examinations. He saw learning as a way of developing reason, understanding and a deeper engagement
with life. On Teachers’ Day, here are some of his thoughts on education and knowledge worth revisiting.
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s Quotes On Education
1. On The Purpose Of A University
“The main function of a university is not to grant degrees and diplomas, but to develop the university spirit and advance learning.”
Radhakrishnan’s words place learning above the pursuit of qualifications. For him, a university was meant to be a place where students developed an interest in knowledge and ideas rather than simply worked towards a degree. The quote is attributed to Foundation of Civilisation: Ideas and Ideals. Goodreads
2. On Knowledge And Experience
“The fruit of knowledge, the fruit of vidyā is anubhava.”
The thought connects knowledge with experience. Radhakrishnan’s use of vidyā for knowledge and anubhava for experience suggests that learning finds greater meaning when it becomes something we understand through experience rather than simply something we remember. The quote appears in Foundation of Civilisation: Ideas and Ideals. Goodreads
3. On Questioning What Exists
“Discontent with the actual is the necessary precondition of every moral change and spiritual rebirth.”
The quote, from Indian Philosophy: Volume I, speaks about the role of questioning in change. Radhakrishnan suggests that being dissatisfied with the existing state of things can push people to examine their beliefs and seek something better. Goodreads
4. On Ideas And Reality
“Our nature sees things through two eyes always, for it views them doubly as idea and as fact…”
Radhakrishnan often explored the relationship between ideas and lived experience in his philosophical writing. This thought reflects his interest in the difference between understanding something intellectually and encountering it as part of reality. The quote is listed on his Goodreads author page. Goodreads
5. On Our Relationship With Others
“Love thy neighbor as thyself because you are your neighbor.”
This quote moves beyond education and into Radhakrishnan’s broader philosophical thinking. The line reflects his emphasis on understanding the connection between individuals and seeing another person not as completely separate from oneself. Goodreads
6. On The Role Of Education
“The aim of education is not the acquisition of information, although important, or acquisition of technical skills, though essential in modern society, but the development of that bent of mind, that attitude of reason, that spirit of democracy which will make us responsible citizens.”
The quote captures one of Radhakrishnan’s central ideas about education. Information and technical skills have their place, but education also has a role in developing reason, independent thought and responsible citizenship.
On Teachers’ Day, these words offer a reminder of what education can mean beyond examinations and degrees. For Radhakrishnan, learning was closely tied to the development of the individual and the way that person engages with society.
