Why in the news?

  • September 26, 2025, marks the 205th birth anniversary of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

  • Birth:   Born in 1820 in Birsingha village (Medinipur, Bengal).
  • Early Life:
    • Excelled in Sanskrit studies at Sanskrit College, Calcutta.
    • Known for simplicity and erudition.
    • Earned the title “Vidyasagar” (Ocean of Knowledge).
  • Social Reforms:
    • Widow Remarriage Movement:
      • Strong advocate of widow remarriage in Hindu society.
      • His efforts led to the enactment of the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, 1856.
    • Opposition to Child Marriage & Polygamy: Criticised regressive practices and worked for rational, humanitarian reforms.
    • Women’s Education:
      • Established several schools for girls in Bengal.
      • Believed education was the foundation of women’s empowerment.
  • Educational Reforms:
    • Principal of Sanskrit College, Calcutta (1851).
    • Introduced Western learning alongside Sanskrit.
    • Modernised curriculum to include subjects like science, mathematics, philosophy, English.
    • Simplified and modernised Bengali prose, making it accessible to common people.
    • Authored Borno Porichoy (Bengali primer) – still used in Bengal.
  • Legacy of Vidyasagar:
    • Remembered as a great humanist, educationist, and reformer.
    • His reforms laid the groundwork for modern Bengali society.
    • Called “Dayar Sagar” (Ocean of Kindness) for his philanthropy.
    • His contributions remain central in India’s social reform movements.

 

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