Today is the birth anniversary of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the great social reformer of India. Born on 26 September 1820 in a poor Brahmin family in Medinipur district of Bengal, Ishwar Chandra Bandopadhyay later became known as a great social reformer, educationist, philosopher and freedom fighter.
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Essay on Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Jayanti
In childhood, we all read about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, one of the pillars of the Renaissance of Bengal. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is mentioned in the courses of all primary schools in India. The objective behind this is that the ideals of Vidyasagar should affect children from childhood.
One thing about Ishwar Chandra was very famous that he was very strong in time. Once he had to address the gathering in London. When they reached there, there were many people standing outside the meeting. He asked the people standing outside – what happened? Why are you out? He got the answer – the hall is not clean, because the sweeper has not arrived. Then what? He picked up the broom and started cleaning and in a short time the entire hall was cleaned.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is counted among the fathers of modern India. He was considered the patron of the poor and dalits. She had raised her voice for women’s education and widow remarriage. He believed that only with the coordination of knowledge of English and Sanskrit language, the best knowledge of Indian and Western traditions can be acquired.
After his initial education in the village, he moved to Calcutta with his father. It is said that Ishwar Chandra did his studies by sitting under a street light because his family did not have enough money to buy gas or any other light. Being meritorious, he also received many scholarships. For this reason, he was given the title of Vidyasagar.
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In 1839, after completing his law studies, Vidyasagar started working as the head of the Sanskrit department at Fort William College in 1841 at the age of only 21. In the year 1849, he again joined the Sanskrit College as a professor of literature.
Social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar established the Metropolitan College in Calcutta with a series of schools for the education of local languages and girls. After becoming the principal of Sanskrit College, he opened the doors of the college to all caste children, which was a big thing at that time.
Due to his untiring efforts, the Widow Remarriage Act 1856 was passed. Ishwar Chandra, who believed in Karni instead of Kathani, married his son to a widow. He had also raised his voice against polygamy and child marriage. Let me tell you, at that time the situation of widows in Hindu society was very worrying. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who gave a second life to women, bid farewell to the world on 29 July 1891.
On the demise of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Rabindranath Tagore wrote – It is surprising that God made four crores of Bengalis, but humans made only one.
