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            After returning to India from Germany, in 1927, he took over as the head of the Jamia Milia Islamia University, which was by then, facing the threat of closure due to financial constraints. He aimed to revive the university.

            The university was involved in India’s freedom movement. It was under his leadership that the education institution not only managed to stay afloat, but contributed to the Indian struggle for freedom from the British Rule. During this period, Husain emerged as one of the most prominent educational thinkers and practitioners of modern India. In 1948, he became the Vice Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University. In 1956, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. However, just after a year, he was appointed as the Governor of Bihar, a position he served in for five years from 1957 to 1962.

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            Dr. Zakir Husain was born on 8th February 1897, in Hyderabad. Dr. Husain was born to Fida Husain Khan and Naznin Begum. His father Fida Husain was a very popular advocate. His father died when he was only 10. The next year, Zakir and his family shifted to Etawah in Uttar Pradesh. He completed his school education from Islamic High School, Etawah. When he was 14, his mother too passed away leaving Husain and his six siblings orphaned.

            Later, he enrolled at the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which is now popularly known by the name of Aligarh Muslim University, where he was a prominent student leader.

            In 1918, he passed his BA Honours, and joined for the MA course, but the Khilafat and non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi, inspired him to leave the government administered college. For two years, from 1920 to 1922, he took up the position of a teacher at Jamia Milia University. He translated Plato’s ‘Republic’, and Cannon’s ‘Elementary Political Economy’, into Urdu. He received his doctorate in economics from the Frederick William University of Berlin.

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            Dr. Zakir Husain was the third President of India. He was a freedom fighter and educational reformer. He held office from 13th May 1967, until his death on 3rd May, 1969.

            Dr. Husain was the country’s first Muslim President, and also the first to die in office. He occupied the office for the shortest period. He was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1952 for the first time. He was elected for one more time in 1956. He became the Governor of Bihar in 1957. In 1962, he was elected as the second Vice President of India.

            He was someone who relentlessly worked for nationality, educational progress and secularism in India. The nation honoured him with the Padma Vibhushan in 1954, and then the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour in the country, in 1963.

            He was also the co-founder of the Jamia Milia Islamic University. Jamia Milia was very much involved in the freedom struggle of India. The colonial British government soon imprisoned many of its teachers and students. The university faced financial crisis and Dr. Zakir Husain, along with his friends, helped Jamia Milia to resolve the problems. He served as its Vice Chancellor for approximately 21 years.

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            Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s birthday, which falls on 5th September, is celebrated as ‘Teacher’s Day’, in India since 1962. Dr. Radhakrishnan was India’s greatest teacher and a scholar in philosophy. In his opinion, teachers should be the best minds in the country.

            Some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate his birthday. In reply, Dr. Radhakrishnan said, “Instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5th is observed as ‘Teacher’s Day’. The request showed Dr. Radhakrishnan’s love for the teaching profession. From then on, his birthday is observed as ‘Teacher’s Day’, in India.

            Dr. Radhakrishnan was immensely popular among his students. Dr. Radhakrishnan was of the opinion that only the right kind of education could solve many ills of society, and the country. He always tried to bring in a change in the educational system to improve the quality of education.

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            Dr. S. Radhakrishnan authored many books, mainly on philosophy. The first book written by him was about the ‘Philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’ (1918), which he believed to be the true manifestation of Indian spirit.

            Some among his major philosophical works were ‘Indian Philosophy’ (1923), ‘The Hindu View of Life’, (1926) and ‘An Idealist View of Life’.

            His other works include – ‘The Principal Upanishads’, published in 1953, ‘Eastern Religions and Western Thought’, ‘Religion and Society’, and ‘The Dhammapada’. One among his other notable works is ‘Religion, Science and Culture’.

            Other than these works, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan regularly contributed articles to many international and national journals throughout his life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Dr. S. Radhakrishnan started his political career “rather late in life”, after his successful academic career. In 1931, he was nominated to the League of Nations Committee for intellectual Cooperation. When India became independent in 1947, Radhakrishnan represented the nation at the UNESCO from 1946 to 1952, and was later Ambassador of India to the Soviet Union, from 1949 to 1952.

            Jawaharlal Nehru decided to send Dr. Radhakrishnan to Moscow as India’s ambassador. Many people criticized this decision, asking how a philosopher like him could be a good diplomat, and deal with the strong communist leader of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin. But, Dr. Radhakrishnan managed to change the paradigm of India’s relationship with the Soviet Union, and developed a good rapport with Stalin.

            He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India. Radhakrishnan was elected as the first Vice President of India in 1952, and elected as the second President of India in 1962. His tenure as the President was eventful. He faced some of the biggest challenges to India’s integrity – the deaths of two of Independent India’s wars, with China and Pakistan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruttani in Tamil Nadu on 5th September 1888 into a poor Brahmin family. His father Sarvepalli Veeraswami was employed on a meagre salary in the zamindari. His mother’s name was Sitamma. It was difficult for Radhakrishnan’s father to educate him. Radhakrishnan was awarded scholarships throughout his academic life. He initially went to school in Tiruttani, and then went to the Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati for his high school.

               He initially joined Voorhees College in Vellore, but, later switched to the prestigious Madras Christian College at the age of 17. He chose philosophy as his major, and attained a BA and an MA in the field.

               He married Sivakamuamma in 1904, at the age of 16. The couple had five daughters and a son. They were married for 51 years, until, Sivakamuamma died in 1956.

              Dr. Radhakrishnan accepted an assistant lectureship at the Madras Presidency College in 1909. In 1918, Dr. Radhakrishnan was appointed as the professor of philosophy by the University of Mysore. He was immensely popular among his students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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               Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan a legendary teacher and philosopher, was India’s second President. He served in this office from 1962-1967.

               He was also the first Vice President of India. It was after serving two terms as Vice President that he was elected as the President. He was one of India’s most distinguished twentieth-century scholars of comparative religion and philosophy.

               From 1931 to 1936, he served as the Vice Chancellor - of Andhra University. In 1936, he taught eastern religions and ethics at the Oxford University. He was the first Indian to be appointed the Vice Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University.

               Dr. Radhakrishnan was awarded several high honours during his life, including a knighthood in 1931. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna in 1954 and the honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963. Dr. Radhakrishnan believed that “teachers should be the best minds in the country”. His birthday, September 5th, is aptly celebrated as ‘Teacher’s Day’ in India.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                    Besides being the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad was a prolific writer. He was known for his literary contributions.

                   The most popular among his books are his autobiography ‘Atmakatha’ (1946), which he wrote while he was in prison.

                   This inspiring book was first published in Hindi. He has beautifully detailed his childhood in his native village Chapra, early education with his teacher maulvi saheb, years as a student in Calcutta, married life at the age of twelve and his legal career. The book also highlights his valuable observations on British colonial rule in India.

                  He authored ‘India Divided’, while serving his prison term. It was published in 1946, a year before India was divided. The book specifically examines the theory of two nations.

 

 

 

                     Some of his other major works are, ‘Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminiscences’ which was published in 1949, ‘Satyagraha in Champaran’, and ‘At the Feet of Mahatma Gandhi’ in 1955.

                     ‘At the Feet of Mahatma Gandhi’ was a tribute to the Father of Our Nation. ‘Bharatiya Shiksha’ authored by Dr. Rajendra Prasad too is a popular book among the masses.

 

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               In 1907, Rajendra Prasad passed with a Gold medal in the master’s degree in economics from the University of Calcutta. After his post-graduation, Dr. Prasad joined as a professor of English at the Langat Singh College of Muzaffarpur, Bihar, and later, became its principal. He left this job in 1909, and went to Calcutta to pursue a degree in law. While studying law at the University of Calcutta, he taught economics at the Calcutta City College.

               In 1915, Prasad appeared for the examination of masters in law, and passed the examination, winning a gold medal. He completed his doctorate in law from Allahabad University in 1937.

               In the year 1911, he started his law practice at the Calcutta High court. Later in the year 1917, he was appointed as one of the first members of the senate and syndicate of the Patna University. He also used to practice law at Bhagalpur, the famous silk-town of Bihar.

              Dr. Prasad began his political career as a volunteer in the 1906 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress, and formally joined the party in 1911. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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               Rajendra Prasad was born in Zeradai, in Bihar on 3rd December 1884. He was the son of Mahadev Sahai and Kamaleshwari Devi.

               Young Rajendra Prasad was placed under the tutelage of a maulvi to learn Persian, Hindi, and mathematics. After the completion of traditional elementary education, he was sent to the Chapra District School.

               According to the custom of that time, at the age of 12, Rajendra Prasad was married to Rajavanshi Devi.

               Dr. Prasad was very good at his studies, and secured first place in the entrance examination to the University of Calcutta.

              Dr. Prasad joined the Presidency College, Calcutta in 1902. He was initially a student of science, and his teachers included J.C. Bose and Prafulla Chandra Roy. Later, he decided to switch his focus to the arts stream.

              Dr. Prasad played a major role in forming the Bihari Students Conference in the year 1906. In 1907, Rajendra Prasad graduated with a gold medal for his master’s degree in economics from the University of Calcutta. In 1915, he graduated with honours with a master’s degree in law, winning a gold medal. In 1937, he completed his doctorate in law from the Allahabad University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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               Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as the first President of independent India, being in office from 1950 to 1962. He was the only President to serve two full terms.

                A lawyer by profession, Dr. Prasad had been an influential leader during the Indian freedom struggle. He worked along with Mahatma Gandhi early in the non-cooperation movement for independence. Rajendra Prasad joined the Indian National Congress in 1911. He was the president of the Indian National Congress in the years 1934, 1939, and 1947. He was arrested for his support of the Salt Satyagraha Movement of 1931, and the Quit India Movement of 1942.

               In September 1946, he became the first Minister of food and agriculture in the interim government preceding full independence. From 1946 to 1949, he presided over the Indian Constituent Assembly, and helped to shape the constitution.

               As the first President of India, he set himself as a powerful precedent for others to follow. Dr. Prasad retired from public life in 1962, after serving as the President of India for 12 years, because of his deteriorating health. That same year he was honoured with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

               Ram Nath Kovind began his political career in 1994 when he was elected as a  member of Rajya Sabha, from Uttar Pradesh. He served for two consecutive terms for 12 years, till March, 2006. As a Member of Parliament, he served on the parliamentary committees for the welfare of scheduled castes/tribes, home affairs, petroleum and natural gas, social justice and empowerment, law and justice.

               He focused on education in rural areas by helping in the construction of school buildings in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As a member of the Bharatiya Janatha Party, Kovind served as the president of the BJP Dalit Morcha between 1998 and 2002.

               Kovind was appointed as the Governor of Bihar on 8th August 2015, by the then, President of India Pranab Kumar Mukherjee. Kovind held this office till he resigned after being nominated for the office of the President of India. He won the presidential race by receiving 65.65 per cent of the valid votes.

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               Ram Nath Kovind was born on 1st October 1945, in Paraukh, near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Kovind belongs to the Dalit Koli community. He was born to Maiku Lal and Kalawati. His father was a landless poor man who ran a small shop to support his family. He was the youngest among three brothers and two sisters.

               After his elementary school education, he had to walk each day to Kanpur village, which was 8 km away, to attend junior school.

               After graduating in law from a Kanpur college, Kovind went to Delhi to prepare for the Indian Administrative Services. He, however, did not join the administrative service, as he was selected for the allied services. Ram Nath Kovind started practicing law.

               Kovind served as the Central Government’s advocate in the Delhi High Court from 1977 to 1979, and Central Government standing counsel in the Supreme Court from 1980 to 1993.

               He became an Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court of India in 1978. He practised at the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court till 1993.

               He also served as the personal assistant of the former Prime Minister, Morarji Desai.

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               Ram Nath Kovind is the 14th, and the present President of India. He assumed the office of the President of India on 25th July, 2017. Kovind has worked extensively in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

               He received his bachelor’s degree and LLB degree from DAV College, affiliated to Kanpur University. He was a lawyer who practised in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court for about sixteen years.

               Kovind was nominated as a presidential candidate by the ruling NDA coalition. He won the presidential election against Meira Kumar. Kovind was the Governor of Bihar before being appointed the President of India. He began his political career in 1994, when he was elected as a member of parliament in the Rajya Sabha, from Uttar Pradesh. He was an MP for two terms — 1994 to 2006.

               Kovind also served as member of the board of management of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Lucknow, and as a member of the board of governors of the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.

               He represented India in the UN in New York, and addressed the UN General Assembly in 2002.

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