Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar - Teacher who helped shape Indian modern society

A polymath and another key figure of the Bengal renaissance, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a philosopher, academic educator, writer, translator, entrepreneur and social reformer. Vidyasagar championed the cause of upliftment of women in India, and helped introduce the practice of widow remarriage to mainstream Hindu society. Unlike the revolutionary Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Vidyasagar advocated reforms within the Hindu religion. During those days, remarriage of widows would occur occasionally only among progressive members of the Brahmo Samaj. The prevailing custom of polygamy and child marriage left many young widows helpless: they were subjected to orthodox rituals, close restrictions, starvation and hard domestic labour. Most widows had to shave their heads and wear white sarees to discourage attention from men. Unable to tolerate the ill treatment, many of these women would flee from their homes and turn to prostitution to support themselves. In 1853, it was estimated that Calcutta had a population of 12,718 prostitutes, many of whom were widows. Taking note of the situation, Vidyasagar proposed and pu