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Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan As Statesman

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan As Statesman

Orissa Review

serve his country and at the of the early guardians of its same time progress a world conscience, championing outlook. always the primacy of precept and principle in the search for Similarly, the pursuit of .´ meant to Radhakrishnan Radhakrishnan not only a Radhakrishnan had the supreme intellectual effort in great gift of being able to as Statesman search of synthesis but also an reconcile and synthesise attempt to restore order and seemingly different, if not values to individual and contrary view points and values. collective human activity. He His genius as a synthesizer Dr. Dinabandhu Dehury believed in the creation of a new found expression in numerous outlook and a new way of life ways. which will establish the fundamental unity of man¶s life He fused the concept, had on Earth. inspired by religion, of a humane an integral view of the individual and equitable social order with and the world During his long and the modern concept of community. This integral view distinguished association with . Gandhiji, employing was like a thread that ran UNESCO, Radhakrishnan traditional cultural idiom, spoke always emphasized the basic through and held together his of the ideal state as , of unity of all religions, the Rajya and called for the service religion and social regeneration, common factors between the of Daridranarayana or God in and of the One World of the of the East and the the form of the poor and the human family. He perceived the West, and the need to build up deprived. He envisaged ³an building of this One World as ³a world brain, a world mind in which the poorest shall the challenge to statesmanship or a world culture´. The major be no high class and low class in the era after the Second project on mutual appreciation of people, an India in which all World War and the advent of of Eastern and Western cultural communities shall live in perfect nuclear weaponry. values which UNESCO initiated in 1956, owed a great harmony. There can be no room One of the renowned deal to his inspiration. in such an India for the course teachers of our century, whose of untouchability. Women will fiery lectures and writings left a In the memorial enjoy the same as men. lasting impression on audiences meeting held in Paris in 1975 This is the Indian of my around the world, rich tributes were paid to dreams´. Radhakrishnan regarded Radhakrishnan. The Chairman education as an instrument to of the Executive Board, Hector The India envisioned help man to understand and Wynter of Jamaica, referred to by Gandhiji, in a sense, what control himself, to relate himself Radhakrishnan as ³One of the could be described, in rightly to nature and society, to inspirers of UNESCO and one nonreligious terms, as a secular,

September - 2010 5 Orissa Review democratic and socialist A signal contribution of with the material conditions of republic. No wonder that Radhakrishnan as Statesman life ± food, clothing and shelter- Radhakrishnan said : ³The was to enrich with philosophical before we can develop ± we Socialist implications of underpinning, and to spread believe in control, planning and freedom were understood by widely with his persuasive regulation. So far as the art of Gandhi, we should work for eloquence, the Gandhi-Nehru living is concerned ± Literature, social and national integration, vision of an equitable social- Philosophy, Religion, Meditation emancipation of women, and economic order at home and of and Worship ± we believe in absolute social equality, cooperative international living. absolute freedom.´ complete abolition of Radhakrishnan did not Radhakrishnan¶s great untouchebility and caste see a conflict between, and was success in his role as statesman discrimination, and removal of able to reconcile, secularism is attributable to this gift of a economic disparities.´ and a genuinely religious synthesizing insight. Those who Radhakrishnan¶s own belief in inclination. He was Chairman of knew of Radhakrishnan only as the possibility and necessity of the first University Education a were some what a peaceful but fundamental Commission, whose report surprised when he was invited change is summed up in his pointed out that, under the by in 1949 memorable affirmation: ³We Constitution. ³There is no state to serve as India¶s Ambassador should be the advocates of religion. All the different forms in Moscow in history and peaceful change and advocates are given equal place, provided current affairs, of which he was of radical reforms.´ they do not lead to corrupt an astute analyst. practices. Each one is at liberty Influenced profoundly On the eve of by , to approach the unseen as it suits his capacity and Radhakrishnan¶s departure for Jawaharlal Nehru used the the , Jawaharlal language of the modern age inclination. If this is the basis of our secular state, to be secular Nehru spoke about the while applying Gandhiji¶s importance of the assignment at message of non-violence both is not to be religiously illiterate. It is to be deeply spiritual and a reception organized by the at home and abroad. Thus Andhra Association on Nehru sought to build a socialist not narrowly religious´. The Commission accordingly August 24, 1949. He said: ³We pattern of society in our country recommended that the consider our relations with the by the democratic process and profoundly humanist insights of Soviet Union very important, planned development. He also all the major religions of the not only because the Soviet formulated an independent, World should be taught at Union is a very great country in non-aligned foreign policy of every stage of education. extent, power, prestige and promoting international peace capacity, and in so many other on the basis of national Similarly, Radha- ways is playing a great part in independence and the krishnan saw no conflict the world today, but also cooperative co-existence of between economic planning because the Soviet Union is our countries with different and individual liberty. He said: neighbours cannot afford to be ideologies and social systems. ³We have to provide ourselves indifferent to each other. We

6 September - 2010 Orissa Review have many important and The eminent position of and as President, he undertook delicate missions´. Nehru Radhakrishnan as an elder numerous visits abroad at the described Radhakrishnan as statesman was recognized instance of Jawaharlal Nehru, ³the symbol of India´ and said: when, within weeks of his Where ever he went, ³It is a matter of satisfaction to return from the assignment in Radhakrishnan was heard with me that at this very difficult post Moscow, he was elected in attention and resects because we have a man of ability, who 1952, unopposed as Vice- of his intellectual and moral has a capacity to understood President of the Republic. In stature and his human approach and make others understand this capacity he presided over to persons and problems. He also.´ the as its endeavoured to consolidate Chairman with great distinction. and strengthen India¶s external The Soviet Union was relations and to bring the United at that time inclined to be When Radhakrishnan States of America and the dogmatic and to regard India was elected as President of the Soviet Union to a better as having become only Republic, Jawaharlal Nehru understanding of each other. nominally independent. To the said on the floor of the Rajya correction of this misperception Sabha on May 11, 1962: During these visits, as Radhakrishnan¶s patient and ³Today is the last day when we well as in his talks with the persuasive presentation of shall have the honour of your leaders of other countries when India¶s recent history and presiding over this House. they came to India, Henceforth you will preside Radhakrishnan would express current position contributed not over an even more important his views with friendliness and a little, along with the Indian organization, that is, nation candour. He did not hesitate to ¶s independent and itself. We are a little sad that interpret India¶s Socialist peace oriented policies in you are leaving us, because you aspirations to American relation to the Korean hostilities have made this a rather unique audiences, or to commend and other issues. place and converted it into a intellectual and creative Radhakrishnan¶s family, sometimes apparently freedom to the leaders of the tenure as Ambassador in quarreling but really a family, Soviet Union. Moscow saw not only the under your guidance. On the other hand, you will exercise Addressing the United clearing of the mists of States senate on November 17, misunderstanding but the laying your charm to convert this huge nation also into a large family 1954, Radhakrishnan said: of the foundation of ³We realize that political cooperation between the two what we call national integration´. freedom is not an end itself. It countries in the economic and is a means to social equality and political spheres. The progress More than any other economic .´ He reminded of this cooperation over two President or Vice-President, his listeners of what Thomas decades was to culminate in the Radhakrishnan took a keen Jefferson had said in the last Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace, interest in the country¶s foreign letter he ever wrote: ³The mass Friendship and Cooperation policy. Both during the ten of mankind was not born with that was signed in 1971. years of his Vice-Presidency saddles on their backs, nor a

September - 2010 7 Orissa Review favoured few booted and intellectual, artistic and spiritual Vice-President for ten years spurred, ready to ride them values. Freedom of thought is and as President for five years. legitimately by the grace of the nerve centre, so to say, of As a Statesman, he had God.´ every kind of higher life, developed understanding of all intellectual and artistic. And as the practical problems of nation Radhakrishnan went on I look around I find a greater building, and contributed to say: ³We, in our country, are intellectual freedom, greater significantly to the consolidation now engaged in the enterprise intellectual cooperation, greater of our political and of affecting a social and cultural unification taking place Parliamentary traditions.´ economic . The word in the Soviet Union and in other µrevolution¶ need not scare us. countries also. We must make Radhakrishnan¶s It does not mean barricades the World safe for diversity, for longest and closest association and bloodshed. It means only peace, for cultural cooperation, in public life was with speedy and drastic changes´. for international understanding´. Jawaharlal Nehru. In any Similarly while country the relationship Sarvepalli between a head of the responding to the speeches of Radhakrishnan constantly government, the relationship the Soviet leaders Marshal stressed that the peaceful co- between the two calls for Bulganin and Nikita existence commended by India mutual understanding and Khrushchev at an informal was ³not a policy of passive and respect, candour and trust. meeting with members of the negative co-existence but one These prevailed in the highest Indian Parliament on of active and fruitful degree during the years that November 31, 1955 cooperation among the people Radhalrishnan said: ³Now that of the world´. Again he said, Radhakrishnan was President the Soviet Union has ³when we talk about co- and Jawaharlal Nehru was consolidated its base and existence it does not mean that Prime Minister. provided its people with the the aggrieved and the aggressor vital things of life without which There was a void in should live together. We will do Radhakrishnan¶s life, as in that they cannot live, we hope they our utmost to help the of the country, with the death will give them opportunities to oppressed to redeem of Jawaharlal Nehru in May develop the grace of the mind themselves from oppression.´ and the virtues of the spirit 1964. In a broadcast to the without which life is not worth As President of the nation on May 26, 1965, living´. Indian Republic, Radhakrishnan Radhakrishnan described acted as friend and Counselor Nehru as ³an earnest of the age Again, on a visit to the to three Prime Ministers to come, the age of the world Soviet Union in September Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur men with world compassion. 1964, Radhakrishnan said in Shastri and . The best way to honour his the course of a speech on When Radhakrishnan passed memory is to get on with the Moscow Television: ³The away in April 1975, Indira work which he left unfinished, Soviet Union in recent times is Gandhi said of him: ³it was our his work for peace, justice and placing great emphasis on good fortune to have him as freedom at home and abroad´.

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Radhanakrishnan Rdhakrishnan¶s life-work it is values cherished by Gandhiji, himself made a great our duty not only on this Jawaharlal Nehru and contribution towards the occasion of the birth centenary Radhakrishnan. realization of these objectives. but on a sustained basis in the To remind ourselves the coming years to discuss about realization of it and, more him and to follow his ideals. Dinabandhu Dehury is a Ph.D. importantly, to make the This should serve as a stimulus younger generations aware of Scholar, P.G. Department of History, to thinking and dedicated , Vani Vihar, the significance of service in consonance with the Bhubaneswar, Orissa. My Gratitude

Swetapadma Mohapatra

Building every body¶s career, Making thousands of doctors E¶ engineers; So simple, so innocent is their life, Advancing with a noble aim, never they retreat. Laying foundation of many luminaries, As if a heaven sent fairy ! They trains the mind of a child, Taking care for our deed. Who are they indeed ?

They, Our respected teachers, Who are Society¶s knowledge Preachers, Acknowledged as new generation makers, Celebrating Teacher¶s Day on 5th September.

Also remembering Dr. Radhakrishnan forever, Teacher our pathfinder, philosopher & guide; Illuminate us from darkness in which we hide. The -Shishya, an old and unique relation, History offers Ramakrishna- as best example. Their efforts to build us are commendable, To make students worthy and able; Thousand times I salute them, to day. Long live in the hearts of students.

Swetapadma Mohapatra, C/o- S.S. Mohapatra lives Near Surya Sikha Club, Apartibindha, Dist. ± Bhadrak, Orissa. She is a student of +3 Class.

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