Happy Teachers’ Day 2022: Remembering the inspirational teachers of all time

After attaining enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, Gautam Buddha set on a mission to teach people the way of life. For 45 years, Gautam Buddha along with his disciples travelled across India to share his wisdom and teachings. The teachings of Lord Buddha are also known as Dhamma.

Chanakya is arguably a prominent figure of wisdom and knowledge in Indian history. He was a teacher, philosopher, economist, and statesman who wrote the Indian political treatise, the ‘Arthashastra’ (Science of Politics and Economics). His teachings also known as Chanakya Neeti still hold relevance.

Swami Vivekananda was a social reformer, philosopher, and great thinker. He essayed a key role in introducing the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.

Savitribai Phule was the first female teacher of modern India. She fought for women's rights during British rule. She is often described as “one of the first-generation modern Indian feminists”. The school started by Savitribai Phule had just nine girls, however, the number gradually increased to 25. The curriculum taught at Savitribai's school included Mathematics, Science and Social Studies instead of Brahmanical texts like Vedas and Shastras.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam always wanted to be remembered as a teacher. Even when he became the President in 2002, it didn’t deter his inclination toward teaching. “Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre and future of an individual…youth have a dream and also they have a pain,” APJ Abdul Kalam had said.

Happy Teachers’ Day!