Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

About Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

• Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was an Indian educator and social reformer considered the father of Bengali prose.
• He was born on 26 September 1820 at Birsingha in Paschim Medinipur district in West Bengal.
  • He was born into a poor Brahmin family.
  • His real name was Iswarchandra Bandopadhyay.
  • He had displayed an exceptional thirst for knowledge from an early age.
• Later years: He spent over 12 years at Sanskrit College in Calcutta, where he studied Sanskrit grammar, literature, Vedanta philosophy, logic, astronomy and Hindu law.
  • In recognition of his remarkable scholarship, he was bestowed with the title “Vidyasagar,” meaning “Ocean of Learning,” at the young age of 21.
• He studied English literature and philosophy and was appointed principal of Sanskrit College on January 22, 1851.
• He was also the first Secretary of Bethune School.
• Contribution:
  • Education: Through his celebrated book Borno Porichoy (Introduction to the Letters), he simplified the Bengali language and made it accessible to ordinary people.
    • His most enduring contributions were as an educationist and social reformer, particularly in challenging the traditional practices of upper-caste Hindu society.
  • Women remained at the centre of his reform efforts.
  • Child marriage: He devoted much of his life to opposing child marriage and advocating widow remarriage.
    • In a paper written in 1850, he launched a strong critique of the practice of marrying girls at the age of 10 or even younger.
    • He highlighted the social, ethical and health-related problems associated with the practice and questioned the validity of the Dharma Shastras that supported it.
    • He also drew upon scriptures and ancient commentaries to argue in favour of widow remarriage, asserting that the “sastras explicitly sanction their remarriage.”
  • Widow remarriage: In 1855, Vidyasagar published two influential tracts on the Marriage of Hindu Widows.
    • On October 14, 1855, he submitted a petition to the Government of India, urging it to consider passing a law to remove the obstacles to the remarriage of Hindu widows and to recognize the children born from such marriages as legitimate.
    • On July 16, 1856, the Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act, also known as Act XV, was passed.
  • Polygamy: He also campaigned against polygamy.
    • In 1857, a petition with 25,000 signatures sought to prohibit polygamy among Kulin Brahmins.
    • A second petition, backed by 21,000 signatures, followed in 1866.
    • In the 1870s, Vidyasagar argued that polygamy, lacking scriptural sanction, should be prohibited by law.
  • He played a significant role in establishing several educational institutions, including the Metropolitan Institution (now Vidyasagar College) in 1872.
    • He also set up 20 model schools across Kolkata, Midnapore, Burdwan and Nadia, providing quality education to students irrespective of their social background.
• Notable work: Among his works are Borno Porichoy (1855), Betal Panchabinsati (1847),Sitar Bonobas (1860) and  Shakuntala (1854).
  • Other notable work: Vidyasagar’s literary and social reform writings include Banglar Itihaas (1848), Jivancharita (1849), Mahabharata (1860), Seetar Vanavas (1860), Bhrantivilaas (1869), Oti Alpa Hoilo (1873), Aabaar Oti Alpa Hoilo (1873), Brajavilaas (1884), and Ratnopariksha (1886).
    • His important works on social reform include Bidhobabivah (1855), advocating widow remarriage; Bahubivah (1871), opposing polygamy; and Balyabivah, which criticised child marriage.
• He passed away on 29 July 1891, leaving behind a lasting legacy of knowledge, compassion, education, and social reform in the service of nation-building.