Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s view on unfurling of the National Flag at Red Fort

VICE-PRESIDENT

          INDIA

        New Delhi

     August 8, 1961.                                                                                                                                                        

My dear Rajaji,

               Prime Minister spoke to me about his correspondence with you. While in ordinary circumstances he would have agreed with your suggestion that I should hoist the Flag and take the salute at the Red Fort, in the present context he feels, and I agree with him, that it is likely to be misunderstood.

               We laughed at your sentence that I would be able to climb the stairs!

               I am glad I met you though I am sorry I was not able to have a quiet chat with you.

                                                                                                                     

Yours affectionately,

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

Shri C. Rajagopalachari,

Bazlullah Road,

Thyagarajanagar, Madras - 17.

                                                                ***

PERSONAL & CONFIDENTAL

VICE-PRESIDENT

          INDIA

         New Delhi

     August 12, 1961

                                                                                                                                                             

My dear Rajaji,

                  Thank you for your letter of the 10^th.

                  You are not quite fair to the Prime Minister. He did not show me your letter. He merely quoted one or two sentences. He had to do it since your suggestion was that I should take the salute and unfurl the flag.

                 As you say, Jawaharlal Nehru is a national hero and people are eager to listen to him.

                 Rajen Babu has been the President from 26 January 1950 and all these years he had not unfurled the flag and taken the salute at the Red Fort, whatever may be the reason. If this August, when I am only discharging the functions of the President, I do so, uncharitable people, of whom we have a good number in our country, will take advantage and draw their own conclusions which will be most unfortunate.

                  I quite agree that civil servants and defence forces should be kept out of party politics. We should not do anything to involve them in party matters.

                 I trust you are getting better.

                                                                                                            Yours affectionately,

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

                  

Shri C. Rajagopalachari,

Bazlullah Road,

Thayagarajanagar, Madras - 17.

Source: C. Rajagopalachari Papers (V Inst.), MSS Section

Abstract of a tribute to Dr. S. Radhakrishnan by M.S. Aney

M.S. Aney                                                                                                                      5-Meenabag

       New Delhi. 

MESSAGE FOR DR. S. RADHAKRISHNAN

78^th BIRTH-DAY COMMEMORATION VOLUME.

                                                                                       ***

         

        Dr. S. Radhakrishnan can be mentioned as the best and the most out –standing example of the universal respect in which a Vidwan is held by the civilised world (विद्वान सर्वत्र पूज्यते). The word Vidwan literally means one who knows the Vidya….  

         

       Among those Indians in the last hundred years who have been chosen by the Almighty in my humble opinion for this noblest mission Dr. S. Radhakrishnan is one. From the days of Ramkrishna Parma Hansa and Swami Vivekananda, there has been an unbroken line of teachers India has given to the world to interpret the gospel of the Upanishads to enable it to see the essential unity of the creation and establish the brotherhood of man. The work done so far by S. Radhakrishnan is a complete vindication of those fundamental propositions which were for the first time revealed to the Vedik Rishis and expounded by them in the Nasadiya Sukta of the Rig Veda….    

       …It is, therefore, a matter of great gratification to the people of India as well as the people of other new developing countries of the world that the services of a pre-eminently spiritual Professor like S. Radhakrishnan are available to the world. In his capacity as President of the Indian Democratic Republic, he comes in contact with the whole world. His voice for promotion for brotherhood of man, his strong denunciation of methods and movements based on the pernicious doctrine of class war and his earnest plea for one world government are heard with rapt attention and consideration by the intelligentia of the whole world. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan is an oracle that is proclaiming from the housetops as it were to all men and women the basic principles which the Indian Vedantists have found essential for the stable growth of human happiness  and thus to turn the earth into an abode of Gods to live. Man is made in the image of God. Radhakrishnan’s mission is to make him aware of it.
                                                    Oṁ Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ

Source: M.S. Aney Papers, MSS Section

Nature, Scope and Aim of Education

According to Radhakrishnan, ‘education is the process by which we conserve valuable elements in our culture and discard the wasteful. It is both, a stabilizing influence and in agent for change. By means of it we help the young to become good citizens of the country. What is simpler societies was done by the family, the religious, political and social institution, has to be done by educational institutions today.

            … We learn from the teacher, by ourselves, from one another and from the life of experience. Education is not always formal. Experience is a great teacher. We learn daily and hourly from our home, from our community, from the press, the radio, the television and the films. ‘All life is experience and therefore education.’

            …Basic education is nothing but an attempt to avoid mere book learning and adopt learning by doing. Teaching centres round craft, agriculture, spinning and weaving, gardening, carpentry, leather-work, cooking, sewing and so forth. The subjects taught are integrated with a central craft. It tries to bring the pupils into close touch with the daily life of the people. It gives importance to physical education. Since body is the vehicle of expression for the human being, it should be carefully trained.

            … whatever subjects students try to study, they should penetrate into and find out the roots of it. Because jnana without viveka is nothing : na viveka vina jnanam; without discrimination, without a sense of right and wrong, we may be called educated but our life will be degraded and unilluminated. It is therefore essential that at first we should try to find out what real education means?

            Every human being as a streak of violence under-earth his senses, which makes him rabid, which makes him revolt. The beast in you will have to be overcome if you wish to call yourself a truly educated man.

            “So the meaning of education”, says Radhakrishnan, “is to emancipate the individual. By means of education you get the life eternal. You get freedom… If you are a truly educated individual, if you are truly emancipated, the suffering of every individual will hurt you as if it was your own suffering. Your heart should become as naked as a never itself, and it must respond to the sufferings of other people. That is what we mean by education. Education must make you civil in your behavior. Whatever faults you have tried to correct them. But so far as other people are concerned, try to understand the position in which they happen to be charitable.”

 …Education is incomplete if we do  not endow the pupils with a purpose. In our country, vimarsa-rupin; vidya; vidyaya amartamanute. Er. Franchisement of the mind, freedom from prejudice and fanaticism and courage are essential. Moral and spiritual training should be an essential part of education.

…The Process of national integration, that we talk about, is a continuous process. It is never finished.We must try to bring about national unity and national integration. These are the ideals which we should aim at in education….

From:- Educational Philosophy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan