Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan has served as the President of India from 1962 to 1967. He was born on the 5th of September,1888 in Tiruttani, Madras Presidency during the British rule in India. He also served as the Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union from 1949 to 1952 and Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962.

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan’s birthday on September 5th is celebrated as “Teachers Day” in India. He has been awarded various national and International awards such as ” Bharat Ratna ” India’s highest civilian award and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire It was awarded by the British government for his services to education.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was the second President of India from 1962 to 1967and he also served as the first Vice President of India from 1952 to 1962 and Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union. He was a Scholar, Politician, Philosopher and Statesman from India.

He was honoured with various National and International awards for his work in education,literature and politics sector he was awarded with Bharat Ratna in 1954 and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1931 and honoured or recognised many times.

He spent his early life in mainly two towns of Tamil Nadu which is Thiruttani and TirupatiHeat gained his early education at Thiruttani’s K.V High School after that he completed his higher education wherewhere Madras Christian College he earned his both his Bachelor’s degree in 1904 and a master’s degre in 1906 from Madras Christian College, majoring in philosophy.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Early Life

• Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born on the 5th of September,1888 in Tiruttani (Tamil Nadu) at the time of TeluguBritish rule in India and he was born to a telgu speaking Niyogi Brahmin family in Tiruttani,Madras presidency, present-dayBritish India which is present day Tamil Nadu, India.

• His father’s name was Sarvepalli Veeraswami who was a subordinate revenue official in the service of a local Zamindar and his mother was Sarvepalli Sita.

• His family is from Savepalli village in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district . He spent his early life in mainly two towns of Tamil Nadu which is Thiruttani and Tirupati.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Education

• He gained his primary education from Thiruttani’s K.V High School GovernmentGovernment.In 1896, he was transferred to Tirupati’s Hermannsburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School and Walajapet’s Goverment High Secondary School.

• headmitted was admitted to Vellore Voorhes College and in his teenage at the age of 17 he enrolled in Madras Christian College .There he earned both his Bachelor’s degree in 1904 and Master’s degree in 1906 from Madras Christian College, majoring in philosophy.

• During his bachelor’sits he published his first thesis titled – “The Ethics of Vedanta and its metaphysical PresuppositionsVedanta,“.

• In his thesis, he addressed concerned criticism that the Vedantaprofessors philosophy laced ethical foundations . His two proffesers Rev. William Meston and Dr Alfred George Hogg prised his work and the thesis was published when we were Radhakrishnan Radhakrishnan RadhakrishnanRadhakrishnan 20 years old.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Family

• Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was married to Sivakamu at the young age of 16.

• Radhakrishnan was happily married with Sivakamu for over 51 years but in 1956 his wife died.

• Radhakrishnan had Six children of which he had five daughters and one son.

• Sarvepalli Gopal is his son , he was also a well known historian and he authored his father’s biography named -“Radhakrishnan: A Biography ” and he written Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru biography named – Jawaharlal Nehru : A Biography.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Academic Career

In 1909, Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan was appointed to the Department of Philosophy at Madras Presidency College.

• In 1918, His became Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore, teaching at Maharaja’s College. Published articles and his first book, “The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore.”

• In 1921, awarded the prestigious King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta.

• In 1926, He represented the University of Calcutta at academic conferences in the UK and the US.

• In 1929, He delivered the Hibbert Lectures at Oxford, later published as “An Idealist View of Life.”

• In 1931, Knighted by the British crown, receiving the title Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (relinquished after India’s independence).

• In 1936, He was appointed Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University and elected Fellow of All Souls College. Nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

• In 1939, He became Vice-Chancellor of Banaras Hindu University.

• From 1948 to 49 He Served as Vice-Chancellor of Andhra University.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Political Career

Year	Position
1928	Member of Andhra Mahasabha
1931 – 1936	Member of the League of Nations Committee for Intellectual Cooperation
1946 – 1950	Member of the Constituent Assembly of India
1949 – 1952	Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union
1952 – 1962	Vice President of India
1962 – 1967	President of India

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Awards and Honours

National Award

• Bharat Ratna (1954): India’s highest civilian award, recognizing his exceptional service to the nation.

International Awards

• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1931: Awarded by the British government for his services to education.
• Pour le Merite for Arts and Sciences in 1954: Awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany in recognition of his contributions to intellectual life.
• Sash First Class of the Order of the Aztec Eagle in 1954: Awarded by the Mexican government in recognition of his work promoting cultural understanding.
• Honorary Membership of the Order of Merit in 1963: Awarded by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, recognizing his distinguished service in the fields of science, art, literature, and government.

Other Recognitions

• Nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature: He was celebrated on several occasions (1936, 1937, and others) for his literary and philosophical works.
• The first recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (1968): The highest literary honour AcademyAcademy ed by the Sahitya Akademi, India’s national academy of LettersTeachers Day.
• Templeton Prize (1975): Awarded shortly before his death, recognizing his outstanding contributions to affirming the spiritual dimension of life.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Literary Works

Year	Title	Genre
1918	The Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore	Philosophy
1920	The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy	Philosophy
1923 & 1927	Indian Philosophy	Philosophy
1927	The Hindu View of Life	Philosophy
1932	An Idealist View of Life	Philosophy
1939	Eastern Religions and Western Thought	Philosophy
1939	Gautama the Buddha	Biography
1949	The Bhagavadgita	Translation and Commentary
1949	The Religion and Society	Philosophy
1956	The Principal Upanishads	Edited and Translated
1958	Recovery of Faith	Philosophy
1958	East and West in Religion	Philosophy
1962	My Search for Truth	Autobiography
1962	Religion and Culture	Philosophy
1963	Humanity and Education	Philosophy of Education
1967	Indian Philosophy, Volume 1 and 2	Philosophy
1969	Bhaja Govindam	Translation and Commentary

Read More

• Vera Gedroits Biography
• Mahatma Gandhi Biography
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy Biography

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Biography – FAQs

What did Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan teach?

After pursing MA degree in Philosophy in 1908, the charismatic leader was appointed as a faculty member by the Department of Philosophy at Madras Presidency College. Radhakrishna’s only aim was to impart students with the best education.

Why is Teachers DayRadhakrishnan celebrated on the?

Teachers’ Day in India is celebrated every year on September 5 to mark the birth anniversery of Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.He was a former President of India, scholar, philosopher and Bharat Ratna recipient. On Teachers’ Day 2023, students all over the country pay respect and tribute to their teachers.

What are some important facts about Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan?

In the year 1962,he became the second president of India.He was also nominated 16 times for the Nobel Prize in Literature and nearly 11 times for the Nobel Peace Prize. In the year 1948, Radhakrishnan was elected chairman of UNESCO’s executive board.

What is the education of Dr.Radhakrishnan?

Radhakrishnan’s early education took place in Thiruttani and Tirupati, but it was at Madras Christian College where he truly excelled, graduating in 1906 with a Master’s degree in Philosophy

How old was Radhakrishnanhonour Academy when he died?

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan passed away on April 17, 1975, in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.He was 86 years old .