In 1915, Radhakrishnan wrote two articles on Indian philosophy. One of them titled ‘A view from India on the war’ got published in ‘The Asiatic Review’ on 15th May, 1915. That was the period when Europe had got engulfed in World War I. The other article was censored by the authorities.
In those days, Madras (Chennai) was in the grip of strong anti-Brahmin movements. Anti-Brahmin lobbies were active in all the institutions. Radhakrishnan too was a Brahmin. Anti-Brahmin lobby went after him and put pressure on the college administration which did buckle down, so intense was the heat. The college demoted Radhakrishnan to a junior lecturer rank and sent him to a remote place called Anantpur to serve there. It was a blow to him. He had to abide by the order to keep his job to stay alive.
Fortunately the things turned for the better for Radhakrishnan. Barely three months later, he was called back to Madras to serve as Professor of Philosophy in the Presidency College as some better sense had prevailed.
Radhakrishnan was happy at his promotion.
But his woes were not yet over. Anti-Brahmin lobby was too strong to take it lying down. It again created pressure and the Presidency College management gave in. He was transferred to a college in Rajamundhri town in the summer of 1917.
These transfers without any valid reasons and demotions pained Radhakrishnan. He was justly feeling humiliated. How long could a true scholar live with such unjustified and shabby treatment? He made up his mind to do something about it in protest. He mulled over several options and possible solutions.
In this effort he established contact with a Mysore college to seek an opening.
Mysore college was also an institution of repute and well known name in the educational circles. Its principal C.R. Reddy was well acquainted with the academic excellence of Radhakrishnan. He decided to appoint the latter as the head of the philosophy faculty of Mysore college. There was only one problem. The college management was fixated on having an Oxford or Cambridge alumni on that post. It was a state government college and hence the management had some state officials on its board. And Mysore was a Princely State.
But luckily the famed Indian scientist, Doctor Visveswaraiyya happened to be the Diwan (The Chief Secretary of a Princely State) of Mysore. He had read the Indian philosophy thesis written by Radhakrishnan and was mightily impressed by it. He interceded on behalf of Radhakrishnan.
In July, 1918 Radhakrishnan got the appointment as Additional Professor in the Mysore College. The posting was for a period of 5 years at the monthly salary of Rs. 500.
Meanwhile, the thesis written by him had got him Doctorate for Madras University. But unfortunately the natives suffered from slave mentality. The local doctorate accounted for a little value. The fashion was to study in Europe, earn foreign degrees or Doctorate from British or Continental universities for true recognition.
Dr. Radhakrishan had studied and done entire research in India. So, his achievement was pooh-poohed. Some jealous elements even derided his thesis as coolie research and denied him the due appreciation.
Even the students were no exception. They put little value to his research.
Once some mischievous students mockingly asked him, “Sir, have you passed any foreign test or earned any foreign degree?”
“No,” Dr. Radhakrishnan curtly replied and then added, “I shall go to foreign lands, not to study but to teach.”
His confident answer surprised the cynical pupil and made positive impression. The students began to respect him and he gradually gained popularity.
He had begun to take at home tutorial classes. During the sips of tea, he would reveal his command over the subject and the capability to easily impart knowledge to his pupil. He used to treat the students as his academic friends and warmly shook their hands while they took leave of him. The friendly manners, civilised behaviour and easy teaching ability made him extremely popular.
Even after such distinguished performance the college did not make his posting permanent.
It gravely hurt his feelings. He didn’t get due justice even here. So, he made up his mind to quit the college that was infact, named, ‘Maharaja College, Mysore’.
By now Dr. Radhakrishnan had to his credit several books and articles reviving the glory of the ancient Indian philosophy. His fame had spread consequently. There were many who could see the greatness of Radhakrishnan’s thoughts and recognize his talent.
One of them was the vice-chancellor of Calcutta University, Sir Ashutosh Mukherji. He wished to offer Radhakrishnan a posting in his institution. He wrote a letter to the professor Radhakrishnan urging him to take charge of the philosophy department of the Calcutta university.
Meanwhile, Radhakrishnan had gone through quite a bit of rethinking about his job. He had made up his mind to go back to the Presidency College, Madras. In this regard he had done some correspondence as well. But he got no response of positive kind.
Now the only option before him was that of accepting the Calcutta offer.
Thus, Professor Radhakrishnan shifted to Calcutta to serve the country’s most prestigious and the oldest educational institute that could boast of having the connection with the best academic teachers of the world. It was a true citadel of learning in India. Perhaps it was one of the reasons that Dr. Radhakrishnan was a bit reluctant to take charge of the philosophy faculty of Calcutta University because here he could be under the scrutiny of the renowned academic brains. It does not mean that he was afraid to meet the challenge. What he was uneasy about was the fact that the indigenous scholars who had no foreign record or recommendations were subjected to a host of prejudices and malice to downgrade their talents.
At last Professor Radhakrishnan decided to accept the challenge.
In February, 1921 he resigned from the Maharaja College of Mysore and departed for Calcutta to join the university.
Calcutta University had a section called ‘George-V’ faculty of philosophy. Earlier Dr. Brajendra Seel was the professor of this faculty. He had left for Mysore to become Vice Chancellor of Maharaja University. That is how the post had fallen vacant. Now Dr. Radhakrishnan had become the professor of this prestigious faculty.
Radhakrishnan had a deep respect for Guru Rabindranath Tagore. In Calcutta he had come quite near to him which made the former feel good. Now he could meet the great poet and interact. Tagore was the product of Indian philosophical processes and the professor was the seeker and researcher of that ancient wisdom.
The distinctive quality of Dr. Radhakrishnan’s own philosophy was to serve as a constructive bridge between Indian Philosophy and the Western Philosophy. His new interpretation of Indian thought was appreciated by Indian scholars as well as Western philosophers. Encouraged by this admiration he decided to found ‘Indian Philosophical Congress’ a body of the thinkers and seriously got down to the business of giving it a practical shape.
He mooted the idea to some fellow thinkers of Indian and Western parts. The proposal was well received and everyone promised cooperation. Now he commanded respect of the scholars as the head of the university’s Faculty of Philosophy and his wisdom of thought had spread far beyond the university making him a reputed figure.
At last he succeeded in setting up ‘Working Committee of the proposed Philosophical Society’ having roped in some English and Indian scholars. He was elected ‘Chairman’ of the society.
The first general meeting of the Indian Philosophy Congress was held in December, 1925. Noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore was persuaded to preside over the meeting. In the following years the Philosophy Congress held annual meetings in different cities of the country which made it a very popular body all over India. Its members came to be looked upon with great respect and honour.
The Calcutta University gave due importance to Dr. Radhakrishnan and he became an esteemed personality.
In 1926 he was chosen by the university to represent it in the conference of Universities of the British Empire. The conference was held in London.
After the death of Sir Ashutosh Mukherji he was made the President of ‘Post-Graduate-in-Arts’ faculty of the Calcutta University for 1927-28 period and then again in 1930. Dr. Radhakrishnan also got the chance to represent the university in International Philosophy Congress and Harvard University seminar.
Later he set up a fully democratic body in the university called ‘Arts Faculty Club’.
Once Dr. Radhakrishnan had retorted in reply to a mocking question of Presidency college students that he would go to foreign lands to teach inspite of having no foreign degrees. Incredibly those words came true in later day period.
He taught as a guest professor in Chicago University of USA in 1926 and in 1929-30 he served in the Manchester College of Oxford University as a visiting professor. In the Oxford University he worked as Professor of the Ancient Religions and Political Science.
From 1931 to 1939 he served as a member in the International Committee on the Intellectual Cooperation in the League of Nations. In pre-II World War period, the League of Nations was the world organisation which later took reincarnation as UNO. For certain periods he served as Vice Chancellor of Andhra University and Hindu University in his long distinguished academic career.
By the time India gained freedom Dr. Radhakrishnan had become a symbol of the academic excellence and nobility of the teaching profession. The post-independence India duly honoured its illustrious intellectual son.
