Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Social reformer who revolutionized education and women's rights in 19th century India

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820-1891) was a Bengali polymath whose educational reforms and social activism transformed 19th century India. As an educator, he simplified the Bengali alphabet and developed elementary school textbooks that made education accessible to the masses. His Borno Porichoy primer became the foundation of modern Bengali literacy.

Vidyasagar's greatest legacy lies in his fight for women's rights. He successfully lobbied the British government to pass the Age of Consent Act (1891) which criminalized child marriage. He also championed widow remarriage, establishing 24 shelters for widows and personally funding marriages for over 5,000 widowed women. His efforts led to the formation of the Widow Marriage Association in 1861.

As the principal of Fort William College, he introduced modern science and Western education while preserving India's cultural heritage. His work in Sanskrit studies led to the publication of Sabdakalpadruma, a groundbreaking Sanskrit dictionary. Vidyasagar's principles influenced later leaders like Swami Vivekananda and Rabindranath Tagore. Today, Kolkata's Vidyasagar Setu and numerous educational institutions bear his name. His teachings are still studied at institutions like Jadavpur University and the Asiatic Society of Calcutta.