INSPIRATIONAL VALUES FROM Dr SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN - PROFESSIONAL ETHICS AND HUMAN VALUES

INSPIRATIONAL VALUES FROM Dr SARVEPALLI RADHAKRISHNAN

Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on 5^th September, 1888 in Thiruttani, of Madras Presidency that is located near the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. His parents are Sarvepalli Veeraswami and Sitamma. His father worked in the places- Thiruttani and Tirupathi and was a subordinate revenue official. Hence Radha Krishnan initially had studied in a primary Board High School at Thiruttani and then had to move to Hermansburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission school in Tirupati. He was good at education and was awarded scholarships throughout his academic life. Then he joined Madras Christian College at the age of 17 and came out with his masters in Philosophy. Financial constraints decided his course of study and this was by chance and never was his choice. The challenges of Christian critics  on Hinduism made him to research vedantas and at a very early age of 20  he came up with his thesis “The Ethics of the Vedanta and its Metaphysical Presuppositions (reality beyond assumption). He led his life studying Indian Philosophy and tradition to disprove western criticism. He was married to Sivakamu and the couple had five daughters and a son.

Radhakrishnan career started in 1909, when he was appointed as faculty in the Department of Philosophy, at Madras Presidency college and by 1918 he became a professor and served at Maharaja’s College, Mysore. During this time he was much influenced by Rabindranath Tagore translated works, and Tagore has great impact on Radhakrishnan and hence he is considered as Influential Indian mentor.  He has written many article in various journals and wrote books – The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore, and The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy(1920). A breakthrough in his career has come when he was appointed at the George V Chair in Philosophy at Calcutta University. During his tenure he represented the University at Harvard University in the International Congress of Philosophy. He also delivered a lecture at Harris Manchester College (Hibbert lecture) which was on theological issues and got published with the title “An Idealist View of Life”. He has even interacted with the students of University of Oxford on Comparative religion. He was felicitated with Knight bachelor degree for his contribution to education by George V. But he stopped using this after independence and preferred to be referred to as Dr Radhakrishnan. He also served Andhra University as a Vice-Chancellor for about six years (1931-1936), and during his tenure he was named as Spalding Professor of eastern Religions and ethics (Meaning an Aspiring person) by University of Oxford and was also elected a Fellow of All Souls College. He was also nominated for Noble Prize in literature in 1937. The issues of education and nationalism come together for Radhakrishnan during this period (1930-1940). For Radhakrishnan, a University education which quickened the development of the whole individual was the only responsible and practical means to the creation of Indian unity and clarity of national vision. He expressed his vision of an autonomous India and visualized an India, built and guided by those who were truly educated, by those who had a personal vision of and commitment to raising Indian self consciousness.

He then succeeded as Vice Chancellor for Banarus Hindu University and served there till 1948. After little gap, he was named Chairman of the University Education Commission during which his team had prepared report after assessing the education in University and had to suggest remediation’s.

RadhaKrishnan’s political career started after his successful completion of his Academic career. He had represented Independent India at UNECSO and was later Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. He was elected to Constituent Assembly of India and was elected as the first Vice-President of India in 1952. He became the second president of India and held position from 1962 to 67. Though Radhakrishnan had no political back ground, he always defended Hindu culture and he stood against uninformed Western criticism. He had symbolized the pride of Indians in their own intellectual traditions.

Radhakrishnan saw during his terms in office an increasing need for world unity and universal fellowship. The urgency of this need was pressed home to Radhakrishnan by what he saw as the unfolding crises throughout the world. At the time of his taking up the office of VicePresident, the Korean War was already in full swing. Political tensions with China in the early 1960s followed by the hostilities between India and Pakistan dominated Radhakrishnan's presidency.
Moreover, the Cold War divided East and West leaving each side suspicious of the other and on the defensive. Radhakrishnan challenged what he saw as the disruptive potential and dominating character of self professed international organizations such as the League of Nations. Instead, he called for the promotion of a creative Internationalism based on the spiritual foundations of integral experience. Only then we can expect understanding and tolerance between people and between nations be promoted.

Radhakrishnan retired from public life in 1967. He spent the last eight years of his life at the home he built in Mylapore, Madras. Radhakrishnan died on April 17, 1975.

Dr Darvepalli Radha Krishnan won many prestigious awards and titles including Bharat Ratna in 1954, a knighthood from George V in 1931 and an honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963. He was also honoured with the Templeton Prize in 1975, for promoting the notion of “a universal reality of God that embraced love and wisdom for all  people”. 

Inspirational Values:

Good Teacher:  Dr. Radhakrishnan loved his teaching profession more than any other professions he had taken up during his eventful lifetime. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan believed that "A good teacher must know how to arouse the interest of the pupil in the field of study for which he is responsible. He must himself be a master in the field of study and be in touch with the latest developments in the subject, he must himself be a fellow traveler in the exciting pursuit of knowledge..." .

Views on Education: His educational thoughts are not just idealistic but also very realistic. He defines education as the instrument for social, economic and cultural change. He also believed that, “The importance of education is not only in knowledge and skill, but it is to help us to live with others.” He believed that right education can solve many problems in the society. Education indicates education of wholeness- mental, physical, intellectual as well as spiritual. It should develop the following in the minds of the students- love for sustained thinking, adherence to truth and power of resistance to sentiments and mob passion (a powerful strong feeling for crowd). According to him, "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."

Philosophy: Though he defended Hinduism against the western criticism, he tried to bridge eastern and western thoughts and also tried to incorporate Western philosophical and religious thought is reflected in his works. He talked about neo-vedanta (which incorporated modern interpretations of Indian religions.) He was an Advaitin (one who recognizes the true self (Atman) as the same the highest reality and the seekers, seek liberation by acquiring Vidhya or knowledge). While the world of experience and of everyday things is certainly not ultimate reality as it is subject to change and is characterized by finitude (a state of having limits) and multiplicity, it nonetheless has its origin and support in the Absolute which is free from all limits, diversity, and distinctions. The absolute reality is the source of the world and its manifestations, but these modes do not affect the integrity of oneself.

Intuition and religious experience: Intuition is the ability to understand something instinctively (automatically), and Radhakrishnan’s philosophy is a source of knowledge and is not mediated by conscious thoughts. According to him it is self-certifying character, self–evidencing and self-luminous which is reflected in his book An Idealist View of Life.  It plays a key role in all the kinds of experiences that one can have which are as follows:

1)      Cognitive Experiences (Perception based) - which include sense, wandering reasoning (diffusive or dull) and intuitive apprehension (inherent anxiety).

2)      Psychic experience (spiritual)

3)      Aesthetic experience ( artistic or visual)

4)      Ethical experience

5)      Religious experience

His views on Hinduism: Radhakrishnan was one of India's best and most influential twentieth-century scholars of comparative religion and philosophy. His defense of the Hindu traditions has been highly influential, both in India and the western world. In India, Radhakrishnan's ideas contributed to the formation of India as a nation-state. His writings contributed to the dominant status of Vedanta as "the essential worldview of Hinduism". In the western world, Radhakrishnan's interpretations of the Hindu tradition, and his emphasis on "spiritual experience", made Hinduism more readily accessible for a western audience, and contributed to the influence of Hinduism on modern spirituality. He has written 40 odd books on philosophy and religion that bear the stamp of his distinctive genius for clarity and precision. His philosophy was unbiased and inclusive as one can find in his remarks. “Those who separate themselves from the rest of the world in the name of religion or race, nation or polity are not assisting human evolution but retarding it”.

About Human nature: Dr Radha krishnan believed that human nature changes in 2 ways. 1) the natural and mechanical changes which are inevitable, and 2) Ethical and spiritual changes which are linked to our conscience. Morality enables a person to rise above to a higher level. His conception of religion transcends the religious dogmas. It is more of a universal religion, fulfilling the aspirations of humanity.His philosophy is "The philosophy of growth and progress of human’s spiritual personality and he believes that our total liberation is possible only when we are truly free

The Origin of Teacher’s Day:  Since 1962, 5th of September has been celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakhrishnan was a philosopher and a teacher par excellence. Some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday. In reply, Dr, Radhakrishnan said, “Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5th is observed as Teacher’s day”. The request showed Dr.Radhakrishnan’s love for the teaching profession. From then onwards, his birthday is observed as Teacher’s Day in India.

Belief in Universal Literacy: He advocated free and compulsory education for all. He supported the Idea of equal rights and opportunity for both men and women, in the field of education. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan believed that India stands for unity in Diversity. He indeed believed in Universalization of education.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru said about Dr. Radhakrishnan, “He has served his country in many capacities. He is a great Teacher from whom all of us have learnt much and will continue to learn. It is India’s peculiar privilege to have a great philosopher, a great educationist and a great humanist as her President. That in itself shows the kind of men we honor and respect. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru also said about him, “Where ever he went, his words brought comfort to the people, and his own wisdom brought people nearer to each other”. Aldous Huxley had remarked about Radhakrishanan that,” he is the master of words and no words". It refers to his ability to express the most abstruse thoughts of philosophy in such a fine language that it becomes comprehensible to all.

In his valedictory address as a president he says, “Our slogan should be not power at any price, but service at any cost”. Bharat Ratna, the highest award of the nation, was conferred on him in 1954 in recognition of his meritorious service to mankind. 

The values that could be incorporated are- self-discipline, self - directive, Integrity, Honesty and spirituality.