2022-09-26 Mon

Ishwar Chandra Vidhyasagar was a well-known Sanskrit scholar, writer, educationist, humanist pundit, social reformer and philanthropist. He was one of the pillars of the Bengal renaissance, started by Raja Rammohan Roy in the early 1800.

Ishwar Chandra Vidhyasagar was born to Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay and Bhagavati Devi. He was a brilliant student during his childhood. After graduation, he started teaching as a head pundit in Bangla, at Fort William College. Later, he started working at Sanskrit college as Post Assistant Secretary in April 1846. Due to his brilliant performance, the college honoured him with the title 'Vidhyasagar', meaning the 'ocean of knowledge. Ishwar Chandra Vidhyasagar was not only a good teacher but also a translator, writer, philosopher, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was the first person in Bengal to introduce the concepts of admission fees and tuition fees. He also introduced ‘Sunday’ as the weekly holiday and summer vacation in May and June.

Ishwar Chandra Vidhyasagar strongly believed that everyone, irrespective of caste or gender, had the right to education. He opens the premises of the Sanskrit college for people from lower castes. He was a social reformer, and as a social reformer, he promoted girls education and widow remarriage; and abolished the practice of child marriage. He followed footprints of Raja Rammohan Roy and took a stand to abolish sati system in India.

Due to his dynamic struggle, the Government of India passed the Widow Remarriage Act in 1856.

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