Memorial Lecture

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Memorial Lecture

As per the resolution adopted in the 15th meeting of the Centre for Internal Quality Assurance (CIQA) held on 13th March 2023, and subsequently ratified by the Academic Council in its 39th meeting, the School of Professional Studies (SPS) of the University has been entrusted with the responsibility of organizing the prestigious annual "Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Memorial Lecture".

Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, more popularly known as Vidyasagar, was born on 26th September 1820 in Birsingha, located in the present-day district of Paschim Medinipur. A polymath-renowned Sanskrit scholar, educationist, reformer, author, and philanthropist-he was conferred the honorific title "Vidyasagar" (Ocean of Knowledge) in 1839, in recognition of his extraordinary scholarship in Sanskrit and philosophy. He revolutionized the Bengali education system and literary style, particularly through his simplified prose and textbook 'Borno Porichoy', which remains a foundational primer for learning the Bengali script. In 1841, he joined Fort William College as the Head of the Sanskrit Department, and later, in 1851, he was appointed as the Principal of Sanskrit College. During his tenure (1851-1858), he introduced sweeping academic and administrative reforms:

• Opening the doors of Sanskrit College to students from all castes
• Instituting monthly examinations in place of annual ones
• Establishing 20 model schools across districts including Hooghly, Medinipur, Burdwan, and Nadia etc.

A pioneer of modern education, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar ardently advocated for universal access to education, regardless of caste or gender. He was instrumental in establishing the first schools for girls in Bengal, at a time when women's education was almost non-existent. Equally significant was his role as a social reformer. He was at the forefront of the movement advocating for the legalization of widow remarriage, and campaigned rigorously against child marriage and polygamy. His relentless advocacy led to the enactment of the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856. He practiced what he preached-encouraging his own son, Narayan Chandra Bandyopadhyay, to marry a widow, setting a powerful public example.
In his later years, Vidyasagar shifted to Karamtand in present-day Jharkhand, where he dedicated himself to the upliftment of the Santhal community. He is credited with establishing what is arguably India's first school for Santhali girls, and supported adult education through night schools, thus embodying a lifelong commitment to inclusive and transformative education.
By instituting the Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Memorial Lecture, the School of Professional Studies endeavors to honour the multifaceted legacy of this towering figure. The Lecture aims not only to celebrate his immense contributions to education and social reform but also to critically engage with his rights-based and inclusive approach to societal development-values that continue to inspire our pursuit of equitable and sustainable progress.

We are privileged to organize this commemorative lecture annually, as a humble tribute to the enduring vision and humanism of Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Professor (Dr.) Anirban Ghosh
Director (i/c), SPS