Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a great son of Bengal as well as India. He was born at Birsingha in the District of Midnapore in 1820. Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay and Bhagabati Devi were his parents. Vidyasagar came of a very poor family but he was very intelligent. He had his primary education at village pathsala. Then he came to Calcutta and was admitted to Sanskrit College. He passed the Final Examination with great credit and became known as ‘Vidyasagar’ for his profound knowledge.

Vidyasagar first served the Education Department of Bengal. He then became a professor and later the principal of Sanskrit College. Vidyasagar was not only a learned man, but he was also a very kind-hearted person and a great social reformer. He set up many girls’ schools to spread education among the women. He was against child marriage and got the Widow Re-marriage Bill passed. He is called the ‘father of Bengali prose’. He also wrote many books like ‘Shakuntala’, ‘Sitar Banabas’ and ‘Barna Parichaya’. This great son of India died in 1891. But Vidyasagar will ever continue to live in our minds for his great ideas and thoughts.

Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar was a renowned Indian philosopher, social reformer, and educator who played a significant role in promoting women's education and widow remarriage in India during the 19th century. He was born on September 26, 1820, in a poor Brahmin family in West Bengal, India.

Education and Career
Vidya Sagar received his early education in Sanskrit and Bengali from his father and later joined the Sanskrit College in Calcutta to pursue higher education. He later became a teacher at the same college and contributed significantly to the development of the Bengali language. In 1850, he was appointed as the principal of the Sanskrit College, where he introduced several reforms, including the inclusion of English and modern sciences in the curriculum.

Social Reforms
Vidya Sagar was a strong advocate of social reforms and worked tirelessly to eradicate social evils such as child marriage, dowry, and the caste system. He also played a leading role in promoting the education of women and the remarriage of widows, which was considered taboo in Indian society at that time. He founded several schools and colleges for women and worked towards making education accessible to all sections of society.

Contribution to Literature
Vidya Sagar was a prolific writer and contributed significantly to the development of Bengali literature. He wrote several books on a wide range of topics, including literature, philosophy, and social reforms. His most significant contribution to Bengali literature was his translation of the epic Ramayana into simple Bengali, which made it accessible to the common people.

Legacy
Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar was a true visionary who dedicated his life to promoting education and social reforms in India. His tireless efforts towards the education of women and the eradication of social evils have left a lasting impact on Indian society. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest social reformers and educators of the 19th century in India.