<P> One of India's most distinguished twentieth - century scholars of comparative religion and philosophy, his academic appointments included professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore (1918 - 1921), the King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science at the University of Calcutta (1921--1932) and Spalding Professor of Eastern Religion and Ethics at University of Oxford (1936--1952). </P> <P> His philosophy was grounded in Advaita Vedanta, reinterpreting this tradition for a contemporary understanding . He defended Hinduism against "uninformed Western criticism", contributing to the formation of contemporary Hindu identity . He has been influential in shaping the understanding of Hinduism, in both India and the west, and earned a reputation as a bridge - builder between India and the West . </P> <P> Radhakrishnan was awarded several high awards during his life, including a knighthood in 1931, the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, in 1954, and honorary membership of the British Royal Order of Merit in 1963 . Radhakrishnan believed that "teachers should be the best minds in the country". Since 1962, his birthday is being celebrated in India as Teachers' Day on 5 September . </P> <P> Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was born in a Telugu brahmin family, in a village near Thiruttani in the erstwhile Chittoor district of Madras Presidency near the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states . Dr. Radhakrishnan's surname was sarvepalli, for his forefathers were from Sarvepalli, a village fifteen miles from Nellore town . his grand father migrated to Tiruttani in erstwhile Chittoor district of madras Presidency . His father's name was Sarvepalli Veeraswami and his mother's name was Sitamma . His early years were spent in Thiruttani and Tirupati . His father was a subordinate revenue official in the service of a local zamindar (local landlord). His primary education was at K.V High School at Thiruttani . In 1896 he moved to the Hermansburg Evangelical Lutheran Mission School in Tirupati and Government Higher Secondary School, Walajapet . </P>

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