Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar made important contribution towards making of modern India. He was a great educationist and a social reformer. He became the principal of Sanskrit College in 1851. He promoted vernacular languages and advocated the education of girls. He set up 35 schools in different parts of India. He opposed child marriage and polygamy and laid great stress on women education and upliftment.

He worked hard to improve the social status of the widow and advocated widow remarriage. In 1855 he even published an article describing their social condition. The success of his countrywide movement for widow remarriage was seen in the enactment of law in 1856 that legalized remarriage of the widows. The first widow remarriage under this law was organized under his supervision. Nearly 25 widow remarriages were performed between 1856 and 1860.He also established Bethune School in 1849 in Calcutta for women.