We’ll talk about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in this article. Iswar’s Biography, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Picture, Birthday, and images. We’ll also discuss his contribution and other relevant details. This material would be very useful to aspirants studying for the IAS Exam. Moreover, this topic is important to UPSC. Here, one can rapidly learn about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s life and significant contributions. So, let’s get this started.
Biography: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Why in the news:
Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar’s 201st birthday was recently commemorated. The 201st birthday of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a brilliant scholar, reformer, and philanthropist, reminds us of the legend who inspires us to follow the route less traveled and be true reformers.
Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay was born in Birsingha village, Hooghly district, to Thakurdas Bandyopadhyay and Bhagavati Devi, into a Bengali Hindu Brahmin family.
His family was poor; therefore, he couldn’t afford the comforts that would have allowed him to finish his studies. For example, they couldn’t afford a gas lamp at home, yet Ishwar Chandra studied his strong thirst for knowledge beneath the streetlight. Despite his difficulties, he excelled in all of his exams in a short period of time, earning a number of scholarships as a result. He enrolled in Sanskrit College in Calcutta and graduated 12 years later, in 1841.
He took a long time to graduate because he had to work part-time to support himself and his family while also balancing his education. His qualifications are Sanskrit Grammar, Literature, Dialectics, Vedanta, Smriti, & Astronomy. Ishwar Chandra married at the age of 14, as was customary at the time. Dinamayee Devi was his wife. Their only child was Narayan Chandra Bandyopadhyaya.
Education
- In 1839, he was given the title of ‘Vidyasagar’ for his knowledge of Sanskrit and philosophy. In 1839, he also passed his law exam with flying colors.
- In 1841, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar graduated from Kolkata’s Sanskrit College with degrees in Sanskrit grammar, literature, dialectics, Vedanta, Smruti, and Astronomy.
- He became the chairman of the Sanskrit department at Fort William College at the age of 21.
- Vidyasagar joined the Sanskrit College as an ‘Assistant Secretary’ in 1846 and revolutionized the educational system.
- When Vidyasagar returned to the Sanskrit College as a Professor, the first modification he made was to add English and Bengali to the medium of instruction, in addition to Sanskrit.
- Along with Vedic scriptures, he taught classes in European history, philosophy, and science.
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s biography has been discussed. Let us now turn our attention to Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s Birthday anniversary, Image & picture. Find The best history books for UPSC Here, including Indian, Spectrum, and Ancient Indian History Books.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, An Educationist
- Vidyasagar began working as an ‘Assistant Secretary’ at the Sanskrit College in 1846. He made a number of reforms to the existing school system in less than a year.
- Vidyasagar was the Principal of Sanskrit College from 1851 to 1858, and during that time, he made significant administrative and educational changes.
- Vidyasagar thought that everyone, regardless of caste or gender, had the right to education at a period when there was no concept of universal education.
- He even made the Sanskrit college’s premises available to persons from lower castes.
- He also urged academics to research ancient sacred writings and interpret them for modern purposes.
- In Hooghly, Midnapore, Burdwan, and Nadia, he created 20 model schools.
- He oversaw the schools, hired teachers, and developed their curricula.
- He modified the exam pattern by replacing annual tests with monthly exams.
- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar also introduced English, Western Sciences, and Mathematics as subjects to be studied.
- He was the one who got the admissions and tuition costs accepted. In the months of May and June, he also inaugurated ‘Sunday’ as a weekly holiday and summer vacation.
- He revolutionized the Bengali educational system by changing the way the Bengali language was written and taught.
Let’s talk about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a linguist and social reformer. The picture and Image of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar are shown below.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar: The Linguist
- He recreated the Bengali alphabet and condensed Bengali typography into an alphabet with 12 vowels and 40 consonants, obviating the need for Sanskrit phonemes.
- He was also a key figure in Bengal’s Bengal Renaissance, a cultural, social, intellectual, and artistic movement that took place in Bengal during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was the forerunner of a brilliant explosion of Bengali literature during the Renaissance period.
- His book ‘Borno Porichoy,’ which means ‘introduction to the letter,’ is still used to teach the Bengali alphabet. He also wrote two more volumes, ‘Upakramonika’ and ‘Byakaran Koumudi,’ which translated complicated Sanskrit grammar into easily understandable Bengali.
A Social Reformer: Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
- His social reforms were centered on women, with the goal of ending child marriage and promoting widow remarriage.
- He followed in the reformist footsteps of Raja Ram Mohun Roy (1772-1833), arguing for the remarriage of widows based on scriptures and medieval commentaries, just as Roy did for the eradication of Sati.
- He launched a blistering attack on the practice of marrying off girls as young as ten years old, citing social, ethical, and sanitary concerns while dismissing the validity of the Dharma Shastras that encouraged it. In the complete body of ‘Smriti’ literature, he demonstrated that widows were not prohibited from remarrying (the Sutras and the Shastras).
Widow Remarriage Act
- In 1856, then the Government of India passed the Widow Remarriage Act as a result of his tireless efforts. Rani Roshmoni’s efforts to have the act passed benefitted him.
- He persuaded his son Narayan Chandra Bandyopadhyaya to marry a widow in order to gain public support for the availability of widow remarriage.
- He also campaigned to eradicate polygamy among Brahmins, widowing underage girls who had been married off to older men.
- His work for women’s rights, self-sufficiency, prosperity, and empowerment and his tireless efforts for ‘Nari Shiksha’ is unparalleled.
- He was a strong supporter of female education. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was correct in seeing education as the key means for women to free themselves from the social tyranny they were subjected to at the time.
- He established 35 girls’ schools across Bengal. One of the institutions was the Metropolitan School of Calcutta. The only goal of these institutions was to empower and make self-sufficient women.
- He helped Drinkwater Bethune create the Bethune School, India’s first permanent girls’ school.
- He also battled hard against the prevalent social tradition of Kulin Brahmin polygamy at the time.
- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar produced regular pieces For publications and newspapers to express his opinions. ‘Tattwabodhini Patrika,’ ‘Somprakash,’ ‘Sarbashubhankari Patrika,’ & ‘Hindu Patriot’ were among the famous journalistic magazines he was connected with.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s picture and Image can be seen here.
Conclusion
This post has included all of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Iswar’s biography, picture, birthday, and image. We also talked about several other important details. Learn about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s efforts to better the country. He helped to eliminate social injustice, uplift women, allow widows to remarry, and advocate against polygamy. Take a Glance at some of his most motivational sayings: Those who are atheists should believe in God from a scientific point of view. They have an interest in it. – Before one’s own interest, seeing the interest of society and country is the religion of a true citizen with a conscience. After that, one can visit the official website to acquire the most up-to-date information on the exam.
FAQ- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Because of his great knowledge in a variety of areas, he was given the title ‘Vidyasagar’ (ocean of knowledge). For his outstanding achievement in Sanskrit studies and philosophy, he was awarded the title “Vidyasagar” by Sanskrit College in Calcutta.
Barnaparichay or Barna Parichay (1855) is a Bengali primer written by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a 19th-century Indian social reformer. This is regarded as “Bengal’s most influential primer.” The primer was released in two parts (part I and part II).
He was a social reformer who sought to transform Hindu society from within. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a polygamist who developed the practice of widow remarriage. Vidyasagar wrote a number of publications throughout his lifetime, greatly enriching the Bengali educational system.
At the age of 70, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a brilliant scholar, academician, and reformer, died on July 29, 1891. “One wonders how God, in the process of generating forty million Bengalis, produced a man!” Rabindranath Tagore commented after his death.
Editor’s Note | Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
In summary, the essay discusses Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Also, learn about Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s biography, Iswar’s birthday, and Vidyasagar images/ picture. Also, understand his contribution. It will aid you in your UPSC test preparation, which is part of the IAS main exam. The UPSC Civil Services Examination schedule for 2022 has been issued by the Union Public Service Commission. As a result, don’t forget to check out the official website. People that are self-motivated always find a way to complete a task. Best wishes for your upcoming exam. Keep in mind that you can attain your goals!
