Teachers' Day: Find out why India celebrates the day a month before the world

Teachers’ Day is celebrated every year on 5 September to mark the importance of teachers in our lives. The day is observed to honour all those educators who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of students. As we remember the contribution of our educators to our lives, here’s a brief look at the history and significance of the day:DateWhile the world celebrates the occasion on 5 October, Teachers' Day is marked on 5 September in India.HistoryTeachers Day is celebrated in India on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the second president of India, a well-known teacher, philosopher and scholar. Nominated 11 times for the Nobel Peace Prize and 16 times for the Nobel Prize in Literature, Dr Radhakrishnan was an esteemed educationist as well.Immensely popular among his students, he was once asked by them if he would allow them to celebrate his birthday. Dr Radhakrishnan declined, but suggested students could mark the occasion as Teachers’ Day to honour the contributions of teachers to society.SignificanceStudents acknowledge the importance of teachers and educators in their lives and dedicate this day to make them feel special. Many give cards, gifts or flowers to their teachers to express their gratitude and appreciation. Programmes are organised in schools to make teachers feel honoured.Given the pandemic, wishes this year are likely to be conveyed virtually, with students using online classes to celebrate Teachers’ Day.Shiksha ParvThe Ministry of Education has organised this year’s Shiksha Parv from 5 to 17 September. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the event virtually on 7 September.The National Informatics Centre (NIC), under the wing of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has launched a dedicated website for the occasion. The site will be made active in the presence of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on 7 September at 11 am.President Ram Nath Kovind will confer 44 teachers with the National Teachers Award 2021. The ten-day programme will also feature presentations and seminars on the National Education Policy 2020.