On the occasion of Teachers' Day, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday conferred National Awards to teachers for the year 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhavan to mark the birth anniversary of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Kovind, officers, and staff of Rashtrapati Bhavan paid floral tributes to Radhakrishnan, a philosopher-author and India's second president.
On the 61st year of the National Teachers' Award, the President felicitated around 46 teachers from across the country.
Speaking at the occasion, Kovind said the foundation of character building is laid in schools.
"For students, teachers are like parents. Teachers should understand their fundamental responsibilities. In order to have a smart new generation, we have to teach them how to maintain a balance between knowledge and discretion," he said.
Citing Chanakya Niti, the President said the bond of Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya was inseparable. "Maurya is known by the name of his Guru, thus Guru plays a major role in the growth of a child," he said.
The President added that one should learn from Chanakya how to lead a simple life and work in the interest of the nation.
He stressed that teachers must tell children about air pollution, climate change and the importance of water.
Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal was also present on the occasion.
The awards are given to honour those teachers who have not only contributed to improving the quality of education but also enriched the lives of their students. The prestigious award carries a silver medal and cash reward of Rs 50,000.Teacher's Day is celebrated across the country in the memory of Radhakrishna, who was born on September 5, 1888, given his exemplary contributions to the field of education.
In 1962, the tradition to celebrate Teachers' Day was started in order to honour Radhakrishnan and all the teachers.
( With inputs from ANI )