Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
| 2nd President of India | |
|---|---|
| In office 14 May 1962 – 13 May 1967 |
|
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting) Lal Bahadur Shastri Gulzarilal Nanda (Acting) Indira Gandhi |
| Vice President | Zakir Hussain |
| Preceded by | Rajendra Prasad |
| Succeeded by | Zakir Hussain |
| 1st Vice President of India | |
| In office 26 January 1952 – 12 May 1962 |
|
| President | Rajendra Prasad |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Succeeded by | Zakir Hussain |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 September 1888 Village near Thiruttani, Chittoor District, Madras Presidency, British India (Present day Andhra Pradesh) |
| Died | 17 April 1975 (aged 86) Madras, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Sarvepalli Sivakamu |
| Children | 5 (daughters) 1 (son) |
| Alma mater | University of Madras |
| Profession |
|
| Awards |  Bharat Ratna (in 1954) |
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975) was an Indian philosopher and statesman who was the first Vice President of India (1952–1962) and the second President of India from 1962 to 1967.
One of India’s most distinguished twentieth-century scholars of comparative religion and philosophy, his academic appointments included professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore (1918-1921), the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta (1921–1932) and Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics at University of Oxford (1936–1952).
His philosophy was grounded in Advaita Vedanta, reinterpreting this tradition for a contemporary understanding. He defended Hinduism against “uninformed Western criticism”, contributing to the formation of contemporary Hindu identity. He has been influential in shaping the understanding of Hinduism, in both India and the west, and earned a reputation as a bridge-builder between India and the West.
Radhakrishnan was awarded several high awards during his life, including a knighthood in 1931, the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, in 1954, and honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963. Radhakrishnan believed that “teachers should be the best minds in the country”. Since 1962, his birthday is being celebrated in India as Teachers’ Day on 5 September.
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