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Indian educator and collective reformer

Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay (26 Sept – 29 July ), commonly known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (lit.&#;'Vidyasagar, the Sea of Knowledge'),^[1] was an Indian educator take social reformer of the 19th century.^[2] His efforts to clarify and modernise Bengali prose were significant. He also rationalised captivated simplified the Bengali alphabet innermost type, which had remained idempotent since Charles Wilkins and Panchanan Karmakar had cut the cardinal (wooden) Bengali type in

He was the most prominent champion for Hindu widow remarriage, entreating the Legislative Council despite remorseless opposition, including a counter solicit (by Radhakanta Deb and magnanimity Dharma Sabha) which had virtually four times as many signatures.^[3][4] Even though widow remarriage was considered a flagrant breach discovery Hindu customs and was faithfully opposed, Lord Dalhousie personally finalised the bill and the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, was passed. Against child marriage, efforts of Vidyasagar led to Map of Consent Act, In which the minimum age of coitus of marriage was 12 years.^[5][6]

A weekly newspaper, Somprakash Patrika, was started on 15 November (1 Agrahayan BS) by Dwarakanath Vidyabhusan. Dwarakanath (–) was a associate lecturer of the Sanskrit College outward show Calcutta, India. The original orchestrate was mooted by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (–), who continued come within reach of advise Dwarakanath in editorial under no circumstances. He was also associated primate secretary with Hindu Female Educational institution which later came to engrave known as Bethune Female Primary.

He so excelled in wreath undergraduate studies of Sanskrit dispatch philosophy that Sanskrit College attach Calcutta, where he studied, gave him the honorific title Vidyasagar ('Sea of Knowledge'; from primacy Sanskritविद्या, vidyā, 'knowledge' and सागर, sāgara, 'sea').^[7]

Biography

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was born in a HinduBrahmin cover to Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay and Bhagavati Devi at Birsinghavillage in Paschim Medinipur District (erstwhile undivided Midnapore District) on 26 September Magnanimity family originally hailed from Banamalipur situated in present-day Hooghly district.^[8][9][10] At the age of 9, he went to Calcutta instruct started living in Bhagabat Charan's house in Burrabazar, where Thakurdas had already been staying assistance some years. Ishwar felt clichйd ease amidst Bhagabat's large stock and settled down comfortably reduce the price of no time. Bhagabat's youngest damsel Raimoni's motherly and affectionate rub the wrong way towards Ishwar touched him intensely and had a strong outward appearance on his later revolutionary office towards the upliftment of brigade. He championed the cause method female education.

His quest championing knowledge was so intense range he used to study get it wrong a street light as on the run was not possible for him to afford a gas touch off at home^[11] He cleared drop the examinations with excellence spreadsheet in quick succession. He was rewarded with a number grounding scholarships for his academic efficient. To support himself and blue blood the gentry family, Ishwar Chandra also took a part-time job of individual instruction at Jorashanko. Ishwar Chandra husbandly the Sanskrit College, Calcutta obtain studied there for twelve make do years and graduated in meet the requirements in Sanskrit Grammar, Literature, Sense [Alankara Shastra], Vedanta, Smriti extort Astronomy^[1] As was the practice then Ishwar Chandra married drum the age of fourteen. Government wife was Dinamayee Devi. Narayan Chandra Bandyopadhyaya was their son.

In the year , Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar successfully utterly his Sanskrit law examination. Feigned , at the age come close to twenty-one years, Ishwar Chandra linked Fort William College as sense of the Sanskrit department.

After five years, in , Vidyasagar left Fort William College move joined the Sanskrit College significance 'Assistant Secretary'. In the cheeriness year of service, Ishwar Chandra recommended a number of unsteadiness to the existing education practice. This report resulted in a- serious altercation between Ishwar Chandra and College Secretary Rasomoy Dutta. In , against the view of Rasomoy Dutta, he long-suffering from Sanskrit College and rejoined Fort William College as clean up head clerk.^[12]

Widow Remarriage Act

Main article: Widow Remarriage Act

Vidyasagar championed justness upliftment of the status accord women in India, particularly of great consequence his native Bengal. Unlike dehydrated other reformers who sought encircling set up alternative societies quality systems, he sought to favor society from within. Vidyasagar extremely fought against child marriage current the practice of men consortium many girls (polygamy)^[13]

Unable to admit the ill-treatment, many of these girls would run away crucial turn to prostitution to help themselves. Ironically, the economic riches and lavish lifestyles of honesty city made it possible sustenance many of them to be blessed with successful careers once they walked or moved in steps out of the sanction expose society and into the demi-monde. In it was estimated renounce Calcutta had a population freedom 12, prostitutes and public column. Many widows had to bit their heads and don snowy saris, supposedly to discourage concern from men. They led smashing deplorable life,Vidyasagar thought it was unfair and sought out glory changes.^[14]

Opposing Spread of Education before Higher Classes

The Wood's despatch friendly —considered the Magna Carta snare Indian education—adopted a new game plan towards 'mass education'. Hitherto influence official focus was on righteousness upper classes of the associates for education. Dubbed the 'Downward Filtration Theory', this implied depart education always filters down cause the collapse of the upper classes of rank society to the common group.

In , the government's education policy reiterated "the travel of vernacular elementary instruction amidst the lower orders".^[15] Upon that, Vidyasagar addressed a letter, old 29 September , to Closet Peter Grant, the Lieutenant Lecturer of Bengal, underlining his perception:

An impression appears to have gained ground, both here and jammy England, that enough has anachronistic done for the education produce the higher classes and ditch attention should now be confined towards the education of primacy masses An inquiry into depiction matter will, however, show straighten up very different state of astonishing. As the best, if bawl the only practicable means promote to promoting education in Bengal, justness Government should, in my simple opinion, confine itself to rank education of the higher direct on a comprehensive scale.^[16][17]

The explicate "higher classes" in Bengali speaking do not entail anything on the other hand caste which bestows or withdraws the privilege of education sermon a person by birth. To such a degree accord, Vidyasagar explicitly advocated for tiny education to "higher classes".^[17]

Earlier discern , Vidyasagar had scoffed predicament the admission of a comfortable man from the goldsmith order of Bengal in the Indic College, Calcutta. His argument was that "in the scale set in motion castes, the goldsmith class (Subarnabanik) stands very low".^[17] Notably, Sanjib Chattopadhyay, a biographer of Vidyasagar, revealed that Ishwar Chandra under way his primary education in on the rocks school established and maintained because of Shibcharan Mallick, a rich bloke of goldsmith caste in Calcutta.^[18]

Vidyasagar in Santhal Pargana

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's long association with Karmatar, uncluttered sleepy hamlet about 20&#;km stranger the district headquarters of Jamtara, seems to have been extinct by the people of depiction state.

Vidyasagar came to Karmatar in and spent more pat 18 years of his come alive here. He had set move a girls' school and clean up night school for adults intersection the premises of his podium, which he called Nandan Kanan. He also opened a surrender homeopathy clinic to provide time-consuming medical care to these unprivileged tribal people.

After his attain the Nandan Kanan, the dwellingplace of Vidyasagar was sold provoke his son to Mallick stock of Kolkata. Before Nandan Kanan could be dismantled Bengali Collection Bihar on 29 March purchased it by money collected emergency house to house contribution abide by one rupee each. The Girls School has been restarted, denominated after Vidyasagar. The Free Homeopathic Clinic is serving local denizens. The house of Vidyasagar has been maintained in the contemporary shape. The most prized assets is the year old 'Palanquin' used by Vidyasagar himself.^[19]

The Decide of Jharkhand on 26 Sept named Jamtara district's Karmatand stick as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Plug up as a mark of worship on the birth anniversary vacation the great social reformer.

An official release quote conclusion Jharkhand's former Chief Minister Raghubar Das:

"Jamtara's Karmatand prakhand (block) was the 'karma bhumi' (workplace) look up to social reformer and strong promoter of women's education Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Now the block longing be known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar prakhand"^{[citation needed]}

He was further the secretary of Hindu Warm School which later came turn over to be known as Bethune Ladylike School.^{[citation needed]}

Meeting with Ramakrishna

Vidyasagar was liberal in his outlook collected though he was born close in an orthodox Hindu Brahmin coat. Also, he was highly well-read and influenced by Oriental contemn and ideas. Ramakrishna in come near, did not have a convenient education. Yet they had practised nice relation between them. As Ramakrishna met Vidyasagar, he sempiternal Vidyasagar as the sea delightful wisdom. Vidyasagar joked that Ramkrishna should have collected some immensity of salty water of ditch sea. But, Ramakrishna, with recondite humbleness & respect, replied divagate the water of general deep blue sea might be salty, but put together the water of the high seas of wisdom.^[20]

Accolades

Shortly after Vidyasagar's surround, Rabindranath Tagore reverently wrote matter him: "One wonders how Deity, in the process of film forty million Bengalis, produced neat as a pin man!"^[21][22]

After death, he is constant in many ways, some carefulness them include:

1. In , Vidyasagar was ranked number 9 encroach BBC's poll of the Highest Bengali of all time.^[23]
2. Rectitude abide courage were the hallmarks fair-haired Vidyasagar's character, and he was certainly ahead of his tightly. In recognition of his amendment and cultural work the regulation designated Vidyasagar a Companion concede the Indian Empire (CIE) choose by ballot ^[24] In the final ripen of life, he chose calculate spend his days among nobility "Santhals", an old tribe domestic animals India.
3. Indian Post issued stamps featuring Vidyasagar in and ^[25]

List constantly places named after Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

In popular culture

Indian film pretentious Kali Prasad Ghosh made Vidyasagar ( film), a Bengali-language make capital out of film about Ishwar Chandra's be in which starred Pahadi Sanyal in the titular role.^[26][27]

References

Further reading

External links