Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Indian educator and social reformer
Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay (26 September 1820 – 29 July 1891), popularly known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (Bengali pronunciation: [iʃːɔɾt͡ʃɔnd̪ɾo bid̪ːaʃaɡɔɾ]), was an Indian educator and social reformer of the 19th century.2
From Wikipedia’s article on Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Born Sep 26, 1820, died Jul 29, 1891.1
About
He was renowned as one of the principal proponents of the Bengal Renaissance. He was the most prominent campaigner for Hindu widow remarriage, petitioning the Legislative Council despite severe opposition, including a counter-petition (by Radhakanta Deb and the Dharma Sabha) which had nearly four times as many signatures. Even though widow remarriage was considered a flagrant breach of Hindu customs and was staunchly opposed, Lord Dalhousie personally finalised the bill, and the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856, was passed. Against child marriage, the efforts of Vidyasagar led to the Age of Consent Act, 1891. In which the minimum age of consummation of marriage was 12 years.
A weekly newspaper, Somprakash Patrika, was started on 15 November 1858 (1 Agrahayan 1265 BS) by Dwarakanath Vidyabhusan. Dwarakanath (1819–1886) was a professor of the Sanskrit College in Calcutta, India. The original plan was mooted by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), who continued to advise Dwarakanath in editorial matters. He was also associated as secretary with the Hindu Female School, which later came to be known as Bethune Female School.
He excelled in his undergraduate studies of Sanskrit and philosophy. The Sanskrit College and University, where he studied, gave him the honorific title Vidyasagar ('Ocean of Knowledge'; from the Sanskrit विद्या, vidyā, 'knowledge' and सागर, sāgara, 'ocean').
From Wikipedia’s article on Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2
Companies
- Sanskrit Press DepositoryFounder11
Early life and education
The Wood's despatch of 1854—considered the Magna Carta of Indian education—adopted a new policy towards 'mass education'. Hitherto, the official focus was on the upper classes of the population for education. Dubbed the 'Downward Filtration Theory', this implied that education always filters down from the upper classes of society to the common masses.
In 1859, the government's education policy reiterated "the spread of vernacular elementary instruction among the lower orders". Upon this, Vidyasagar addressed a letter, dated 29 September 1859, to John Peter Grant, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, underlining his perception:An impression appears to have gained ground, both here and in England, that enough has been done for the education of the higher classes and that attention should now be directed towards the education of the masses... An inquiry into the matter will, however, show a very different state of things. As the best, if not the only practicable means of promoting education in Bengal, the Government should, in my humble opinion, confine itself to the education of the higher classes on a comprehensive scale.The words "higher classes" in Bengali parlance do not entail anything but caste, which bestows or withdraws the privilege of education on a person by birth. Thus, Vidyasagar explicitly advocated for confining education to "higher classes".
Earlier in 1854, Vidyasagar had scoffed at the admission of a wealthy man from the goldsmith caste of Bengal in the Sanskrit College, Calcutta. His argument was that "in the scale of castes, the goldsmith class (Subarnabanik) stands very low". Notably, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, a biographer of Vidyasagar, revealed that Ishwar Chandra started his primary education in a school established and maintained by Shibcharan Mallick, a rich man of the goldsmith caste in Calcutta.
From Wikipedia’s article on Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career
Occupation: playwright, writer, autobiographer, head teacher, biographer, professor, short story writer.6
- Date not recordedFounded Ghatal Vidyasagar High School4
- Date not recordedFounded Sanskrit Press Depository5
Personal life
Vidyasagar championed the upliftment of the status of women in India, particularly in his native Bengal. Unlike some other reformers who sought to set up alternative societies or systems, he sought to transform society from within. Vidyasagar also fought against child marriage and the practice of men marrying many girls (polygamy)
Unable to tolerate the ill-treatment, many of these girls would run away and turn to prostitution to support themselves. Ironically, the economic prosperity and lavish lifestyles of the city made it possible for many of them to have successful careers once they stepped out of the confines of society and into the demi-monde. In 1853, it was estimated that Calcutta had a population of 12,700 prostitutes and public women. Many widows had to shave their heads and don white saris, supposedly to discourage attention from men. They led a deplorable life, Vidyasagar thought it was unfair, and sought out the changes.
From Wikipedia’s article on Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Links
Sources
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