Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a Bengali polymath, social reformer, thinker, writer, multilingual scholar, and Bengal Renaissance pioneer. The father of modern India. In 1772, a Bengali Brahmin family in Radhanagar, Hooghly, gave birth to Roy. He studied Sanskrit, Persian, and English. Reading John Locke, Voltaire, and David Hume exposed him to Western philosophy.
- Roy founded the religious and social reform Atmiya Sabha in 1815. The Atmiya Sabha promoted rationality and abolished sati, child marriage, and caste.
- Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828, a monotheistic, rational, and social reformist religious movement. The 19th-century Indian socio-religious awakening was shaped by the Brahmo Samaj.
- Roy also championed women’s rights. He advocated for widow remarriage and women’s education. His Bengali translation made the Bible more accessible to the masses.
- Roy changed India’s social and religious landscape. He is one of modern India’s most important figures.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy made these specific contributions to 19th-century India’s socio-religious awakening:
- He opposed sati, which burned widows alive on their husbands’ funeral pyres. His efforts resulted in the British colonial government abolishing sati in 1829. He opposed child marriage and supported women’s education.
- He established several schools for girls and women. He opposed the caste system and advocated for equality for all. He advocated religious reason and logic. He opposed Hindu idol worship and the caste system. He promoted religious tolerance and understanding. All religions should be respected, he said.
Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s work changed India’s history. He inspired a new era of social and religious reform, and his ideas continue to inspire people worldwide.