India may still be a developing country but the rich culture and diversity has given the world the gift of many valuable resources. One of the spheres in which India has had a huge influence on the world is the field of education. We could name several famous teachers in history and many more scholars who went to revolutionise education itself.
India’s Contribution to World Education
India’s love for education has given the world many gifts in education and co-curricular activities including:
- The World’s first university, the Takshashila University (700 BC).
- Mathematician and Astronomer, Aryabhatta gave the world the arithmetic function of Zero.
- Chess was invented in India in the 6th Century as Chaturanga.
- Sushruta Samhita, a 6th Century Indian medical treatise paved the way to the cure for leprosy.
- Alternative medicine Ayurveda originated in India and did not have the bad reputation of misguiding treatments or claiming surgical prowess.
- Astronomers Bhaskaracharya and Brahmagupta calculated the time the Earth takes to orbit the Sun.
- Virahanka described the Fibonacci pattern as early as 700 AD.
- Cataract surgery was invented in India.
- Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose invented the Crescograph in the beginning of the 20th
- Mathematician and Astronomer Varahamihira defined some trigonometric functions (partially credited with Aryabhatta).
That’s not all. India’s pride is not a matter of the past. The USB chip, along with several chipset technologies were developed by Indian-American computer architect, Ajay Bhatt. Vinod Dham invented the Pentium Chip. Young inventors like like Kavya Vignesh, Akash Manoj, and Malini Dasgupta prove every year how crucial Indian education is to the world.
Famous Teachers in India
It is only natural to be inquisitive about the driving force behind such skills, diligence, and creatively resourceful minds. India has always had immense respect for its teachers. Here are some very popular teachers in History.
1] Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
He was not only a teacher of Philosophy, but also the first Vice President and second President of free India. His birthday, September 5, is celebrated as Teachers’ Day in India.
2] Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
Dr Kalam was a renowned scientist and the 11th President of India. He encouraged students to get more hand-on experience working and researching than merely focusing on academic grades.
3] Chanakya/Kautilya
He was a pioneer of Political Science and Economics. He taught the subjects at the Takshashila University. He was also a royal advisor and a veteran strategist which earned him his name.
4] Swami Dayanand Saraswati
This Vedic scholar of Sanskrit contributed to the right to education of women and backward classes in India. He founded the Arya Samaj that campaigned for the protection of widows and children.
5] Rabindranath Thakur
Also known as Rabindranath Tagore, this social reformer and polymath revolutionized Indian education inspired by his own aversion to the traditional gurukul system. His methods and teachings inspired generations.
6] Savitribai Phule
Founder of modern Marathi poetry, the first known female teacher of India worked for the education of the “untouchable” classes and of female children. She battled bullying and assault from the upper classes to open a school for the marginalized.
7] Swami Vivekananda
This philosopher and freedom fighter taught about faith, politics, and harmony all over the world. He was the leading force behind the Ramkrishna Mission that educates thousands of young men and runs charities for the needy till date.
8] Vinoba Bhave
Vinayak Narahari was a teacher of Human Rights. He created the Brahma Vidya Mandir to empower women and advance the humanitarian cause which earned him the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958.
9] Vimla Kaul
She started a school at her own residence, Guldasta, in 1993 to support the underprivileged. Yes, she is still active and has already made a place for herself as one of the most famous teachers in history of India. She ran the school with her husband, a professor until his death in 2009. At 83, she continues to equip underprivileged children with education and skills to earn their meals instead of relying on the not-so-sustainable hand outs from the government.
10] Babar Ali
Breaking all barriers, Babar Ali started a school at the surprising age of 16 while he still was a student. 8 years later, his school has 800 students and 10 teachers who are focused on uplifting the poor.
11] Bharti Kumari
Bharti Kumari broke all records by becoming the youngest school head instructor at the tender age of 12. She is one of the most famous teachers in India and is creating history currently like Babar Ali is, only she started much younger. Her school in Kusumbhara, Jharkhand, offers English, Hindi, and Mathematics lessons under a mango tree, free of cost. She teaches as she learns.
12] Ranjitsinh Disale
He won the Global Teacher Prize in 2020, competing against 12,000 teachers worldwide who were nominated for their noble endeavours in education. He shared 50 per cent of the prize money with the top 9 runners-up because he believes in expanding opportunity and extending resources for a common cause for which every teacher in the world is fighting.
India is full of inspirational teachers at present. This list is nowhere close to exhaustive, neither is the list of famous teachers in history owing to the long-drawn struggle for freedom in the country.
