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Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan OM, FBA (pronunciation ⓘ; 5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975; natively Radhakrishnayya) was an Indian politician, philosopher and statesman who served as the second president of India from 1962 to 1967. He previously served as the first vice president of India from 1952 to 1962.
- Biography and Context
- Philosophy of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
- Criticism
- List of Abbreviations
- References and Further Reading
a. Early Years
Rather little detail is known of Radhakrishnan’s earliest childhood and education. Radhakrishnan rarely spoke about his personal life, and what he does reveal comes to us after several decades of reflection. Radhakrishnan was born in Tirutani, Andhra Pradesh into a brahmin family, likely smarta in religious orientation. Predominantly Hindu, Tirutani was a temple town and popular pilgrimage center, and Radhakrishnan’s family were active participants in the devotional activities there. The impl...
b. Madras Christian College
In 1904, Radhakrishnan entered Madras Christian College. At this time Radhakrishnan’s academic sensibilities lay with the physical sciences, and before beginning his MA degree in 1906 his interest appears to have been law. Two key influences on Radhakrishnan at Madras Christian College left an indelible stamp on Radhakrishnan’s sensibilities. First, it was here that Radhakrishnan was trained in European philosophy. Radhakrishnan was introduced to the philosophies of Berkeley,Leibniz, Locke, S...
c. Early Teaching and Writing
Upon the completion of his MA degree in 1908, Radhakrishnan found himself at both a financial and professional crossroads. His obligations to his family precluded him from applying for a scholarship to study in Britain and he struggled without success to find work in Madras. The following year, with the assistance of William Skinner at Madras Christian College, Radhakrishnan was able to secure what was intended to be a temporary teaching position at Presidency College in Madras. At Presidency...
a. Metaphysics
Radhakrishnan located his metaphysics within the Advaita (non-dual) Vedanta tradition (sampradaya). And like other Vedantins before him, Radhakrishnan wrote commentaries on the Prasthanatraya (that is, main primary texts of Vedanta ): the Upanisads (1953),Brahma Sutra (1959), and the Bhagavadgita(1948). As an Advaitin, Radhakrishnan embraced a metaphysical idealism. But Radhakrishnan’s idealism was such that it recognized the reality and diversity of the world of experience (prakṛti) while at...
b. Epistemology: Intuition and the Varieties of Experience
This section deals with Radhakrishnan’s understanding of intuition and his interpretations of experience. It begins with a general survey of the variety of terms as well as the characteristics Radhakrishnan associates with intuition. It then details with how Radhakrishnan understands specific occurrences of intuition in relation to other forms of experience — cognitive, psychic, aesthetic, ethical, and religious.
c. Religious Pluralism
Radhakrishnan’s hierarchy of religions is well-known. “Hinduism,” Radhakrishnan affirms, “accepts all religious notions as facts and arranges them in the order of their more or less intrinsic significance”: “The worshippers of the Absolute are the highest in rank; second to them are the worshippers of the personal God; then come the worshippers of the incarnations like Rama, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha; below them are those who worship ancestors, deities and sages, and the lowest of all are the worshippers...
There are numerous criticisms that may be raised against Radhakrishnan’s philosophy. What follows is not an exhaustive list, but three of the most common criticisms which may be levied against Radhakrishnan.
HVL – The Hindu View of Life(1927) IP1 – Indian Philosophy: Volume 1(1923) IVL – An Idealist View of Life(1929) MST – My Search for Truth(1937)
a. Primary Sources by Radhakrishnan
1. The Ethics of the Vedanta and Its Metaphysical Presuppositions. Madras: The Guardian Press, 1908. 2. “Karma and Freewill” in Modern Review. (Calcutta) Vol. III (May 1908), pp. 424-428. 3. “Indian Philosophy: The Vedas and the Six Systems” in The Madras Christian College Magazine. III (New Series), pp. 22-35. 4. “‘Nature’ and ‘Convention’ in Greek Ethics” in The Calcutta Review, CXXX (January 1910), pp. 9-23. 5. “Egoism and Altruism: The Vedanta Solution” in East and West(Bombay) IX (July 1...
b. Selected Secondary Sources
1. Arapura, J.G. Radhakrishnan and Integral Experience: The Philosophy and World Vision of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Calcutta: Asia Publishing House, 1966. 2. Atreya, J.P. (ed.) Dr. S. Radhakrishnan: Sovenir Volume. Moradabad: Darshana International, 1964. 3. Baird, Robert D. (ed.) Religion in Modern India. New Delhi: Manohar, 1981. 4. Banerji, Anjan Kumar (ed.) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: A Centenary Tribute. Varanasi, 1991-1992. 5. Bishop, Donald H. (ed.) Thinkers of the Indian Renaissance. N...
Author Informaiton
Michael Hawley Email: MHawley@mtroyal.ca Mount Royal College Canada
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Apr 12, 2024 · Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (born Sept. 5, 1888, Tiruttani, India—died April 16, 1975, Madras [now Chennai]) was a scholar and statesman who was president of India from 1962 to 1967. He served as professor of philosophy at Mysore (1918–21) and Calcutta (1921–31; 1937–41) universities and as vice chancellor of Andhra University (1931–36).
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
May 14, 2018 · Radhakrishnan, Sarvepalli (1888–1975). Hindu philosopher and President of the Indian Republic. After various professorial posts in India, he became the first Spalding Professor of Eastern Religions and Ethics at Oxford, 1936–52. He was Vice-President of India, 1952–62, and President, 1962–7.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served as the second President of India, holding the office from May 13, 1962, to May 13, 1967. Born on September 5, 1888, in a small town in Andhra Pradesh, Radhakrishnan was a distinguished scholar, philosopher, and statesman whose influence has left a profound mark on India's educational and political landscape.
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was considered one of India's top scholars in the fields of comparative religion and philosophy. Born in Thiruttani in the erstwhile Madras Presidency, he became...
