Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Lifetime

About

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (Telugu: సర్వేపల్లి రాధాకృష్ణ, September 5, 1888 – April 17, 1975) was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He was the first Vice-President of India (1952–1962) and subsequently the second President of India (1962–1967).

• Being one of India's most influential scholars of comparative religion and philosophy, Radhakrishnan is thought of as having built a bridge between the East and the West by showing that the philosophical systems of each tradition are comprehensible within the terms of the other.
• He wrote authoritative exegeses of India's religious and philosophical literature for the English speaking world. His academic appointments included the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta (1921–?) and Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford University (1936–1952).
• Among the many honours he received were a knighthood (1931), the Bharat Ratna (1954) and the Order of Merit in 1963. His birthday is celebrated in India as Teacher's Day on 5th September.