Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Luminous Light of Many Hues: Published by Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla

 

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan: Luminous Light of Many Hues

 

Nibir K. Ghosh

 

The glory of your

Many-splendoured genius

Continues to shine in the regal

Precincts of what was once the

Abode of royalty where once

Earthly lords found solace from the 

Summer heat of plains.

 

Your luminous vision in

Transforming the beautiful habitat into a

Sanctuary of creative minds 

Stands proudly as a storehouse of 

Creative and critical debates that

Pilgrims and seekers of knowledge

Taste from the fountain of wisdom of ages.  

 

In the shoreless ocean of

Your intellect sparkled

Gems of diverse

Religious truths urging mankind to

Abandon conflicts and clashes and

Co-exist in peace and harmony

In quest of an ideal world.

 

You believed in the 

Power of education as an

Instrument of change like the

Lighthouse that guides 

Wandering ships in the deep sea. 

Unity in diversity was not an adage but

A way of life for you.

 

 Drawing sustenance of life and spirit from

The Upanishads and the

Hindu view of life, you

Affirmed the oneness of

Divergent beliefs and faiths in your

Sublime philosophy and day-to-day

Experience of life lived.

 

True to your name you had the

Magic touch to combine

Sarvepalli, the tiny

Hamlet of your birth, to the

Divine love and devotion of 

Radha and Krishna to embrace

A world beyond borders

 

You brought dignity and nobility to

All August positions you graced

In your lifetime and 

Engaged yourself tirelessly to

Spread the fragrance of your

Word and deed to make

India shine in the global firmament.

 

Guide us, O Kindly Light,

Like Lord Krishna, to forsake

Fear and temptation and be in

Readiness for battle

Unfailingly against 

Injustice and untruth on the

Hallowed path to duty.

 

O Teacher of teachers!

Our Bharat Ratna

I humbly bow and offer thee

My humble salutations.

May thy spirit continue to guide us

Through darkness and ignorance to

Regions of hope and victory of the soul.

 

Multilingual Poetry on Dr. Radhakrishnan. Compiled by S. Ranganath. On the occasion of 60 Years of Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, 2026. pp. 49-51.

 

Dr. Nibir K. Ghosh is UGC Emeritus Professor and former Head, Department of English Studies and Research, Agra College, Agra. A Senior Fulbright Fellow at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA during 2003-04, he has been an Associate of IIAS, Shimla and is Chief Editor of Re-Markings, an International Biannual Journal of English Letters (www.re-markings.com).

                                                        Comments Received

Really admirable effort on your part. Only an academic of your stature can assess and  appreciate the quality of a philosopher and worshipper of education like Dr. Radhakrishnan. It is shameful that a section being politically driven cannot weigh his contribution. Kudos to you for exposing it poetically. Thanks for sharing. Dr. Manas Bakshi, Kolkata..

Congratulations on your tryst with poetry. The maiden piece is indicative of millions of future poetic blooms. Kudos. - Dr. Arunachalam Angappan, Coimbatore

A deeply moving tribute that beautifully honors Dr. Radhakrishnan's philosophical legacy and his role in creating a sanctuary for wisdom. Your verses capture both the grand stature of a Bharat Ratna and the noble soul of a true teacher. Also, "Happy Teachers' Day, Sir! Thank you so much for teaching us meaningful life values and encouraging us to overcome our fear of the stage. Giving us opportunities to showcase our talents through debates and poetry made all the difference. We are truly grateful for the 'Study Circle' group discussions, which helped us understand and engage with social issues so deeply." -  Rachna Srivastava, Agra.

 Dr. Ghosh. Exemplary Composition. - Dr. Sudipta Ghosh, Delhi.

Well done, Dr. Ghosh. Your poetic Tribute to Dr. Radhakrishnan echoes Rabindranath Tagore's Tribute to the Taj Mahal. - Dr. Promila Chawla, Agra

So subtly and eloquently captured. Thank you so much Sir for sharing with me. I have always felt blessed to have received your guidance and affection during my formative years. Whatever little I have been able to do in my life, I owe it to the opportunity, guidance, and exposure I received from you during my time spent with you at Agra College Sir. --Manit Mishra, Bhubaneshwar

Glowing verse! - Dr. Divyajyoti Singh, Faridabad

..it seems good to me sir...and since I am teaching Yeats and his poetry, I am 'skimming' for poetic devices ...there is Enjambment, a common device in Yeats' poetry ... there is Polyptoton ... References, Allusions ... simile ... a grand lofty language... - Dr. Anjali Singh, Jaipur

Perhaps The Best composed tribute to the model man for humanity. With regards, to someone who is my literary Icon. Dr. Arvind Sharma, Dholpur

Reverent tribute to a legend . 🙏Dr. Seema Sinha, Dhanbad

Hello Sir…Wishing you a very happy teacher’s Day…You were much more than a teacher to me. You were my mentor, my guide, and someone who inspired me to keep going even when the journey felt difficult. Your valuable teachings and support have shaped not only my academic journey but also the person I have become. I truly feel blessed to have had you as my teacher. Whatever I have achieved today, a very special part of the credit belongs to you. Thank you for believing in me, guiding me, and making this dream possible. I will always cherish your contribution to this milestone in my life. With heartfelt gratitude and deepest respect. Dr. Nivedita Gupta, Ferozabad.

Belated wishes for Teacher's Day. Although I haven't met you personally till now, your presence and guidance have contributed a lot to my life. Your arena of literature covers a multitude of dimensions, difficult to attain. It is the result of years of devoted reading and diligence... What a teacher desires is subtly captured by you: "to forsake Fear and Temptation, and be in Readiness for battle, Unfailingly against Injustice and untruth on the Hallowed path to duty". In this precarious world of unfulfilled expectations, only a righteous Guru can enlighten the darkened horizon of his disciples. You have been the kindled torch that dispelled the ignorance and further informed me of my shortcomings. Thanks for everything, respected sir. Your beautiful and serene tribute to Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is a yearning of each disciple, a reverberation of millions of disciples' gratitude for their teachers. Happy Teachers' Day. – Dr. Pallavi Sharma Goyal, Shivpuri, M.P.