Gauri Shankar Gupta

A 19th-century Indian educator and reformer who significantly contributed to modernizing education and promoting social reforms in Bengal.

Gauri Shankar Gupta (1805–1874) was a prominent Indian educator and social reformer whose efforts laid the groundwork for modern education in Bengal during the 19th century. Born into a Brahmin family in Calcutta, he recognized the need to bridge traditional Indian scholarship with Western education to empower the masses. His most notable achievement was the establishment of the Hindu College (now Presidency University), which became a beacon of progressive learning in British India.

Gupta championed the inclusion of women in education, a radical idea at the time. He advocated for gender-neutral curricula and supported the opening of schools for girls, such as the Bengal Female School. He also played a key role in promoting the use of vernacular languages in education, countering the British preference for English-only instruction. His writings, including essays on Society and Education in Bengal, emphasized the importance of critical thinking and moral education.

His reforms extended beyond education into social issues. He actively opposed the caste system, advocating for inter-caste marriages and equal rights for lower castes. Gupta’s collaboration with Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar further solidified his legacy as a pioneer of social justice. His efforts helped transform Bengal into a hub of intellectual and social progress, influencing later movements for Indian independence and women’s rights.