PM Modi gives new mantra, says 'teach to transform'

New Delhi: Remembering Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan with gratitude for his great qualities as a teacher, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that on this teachers day, we should resolve to "teach to transform, educate to empower and learn to lead."

"We celebrate September 5 as Teachers Day. It is the birthday of our former president Dr. Radhakrishnan. He was the president, but all through his life, he saw himself as a teacher. The most important quality of a teacher is to awaken in his students, a sense of creativity and the joy of learning. As we celebrate Teacher`s Day this year, we should come together and take a resolve. Can we run a campaign in mission mode? Teach to transform, educate to empower and learn to lead. Can we move ahead with his resolve?" 

Prime Minister Modi said, in his monthly radio address `Mann ki Baat`. 

Asserting that teachers have a big role in transforming people`s lives, he urged the nation to make a collective effort with the mantra - teach to transform.

"When we speak about transformation in our country, we must think of our teachers as we do of our mothers. The teacher plays a vital role in transformation. In the life of every teacher, there are incidents of simple efforts that succeeded in bringing about a transformation in somebody`s life. We will play a big role in the transformation of the nation, if we make a collective effort. Come, let`s move forward with the mantra - teach to transform," he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi touched upon a variety of topics in his latest `Mann ki Baat` address, including terrorism, violence, and cleanliness among others.