Explain the educational and social works of Raja Rammohan Roy. (Give answer in detail, about 250 words)
Answers
Educational work :
Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a great scholar and independent thinker and a multilingual person. He believed that education was prime necessity for up-liftmen of Indian society. He advocated the induction of western learning into Indian education system. So he promoted study of English, Science, Western Medicine and Technology in India. Keeping this great purpose in his mind he set up the Hindu College at Calcutta jointly with David Hare, in 1817. Roy established the Anglo-Hindu school in 1822. In 1830, he assisted Alexander Duff in establishing the General Assembly's Institution. Besides these he founded the City College, Vedanta College, and English Schools in Calcutta. He used his own money in welfare of education system in India. He studied Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic languages. Beside these, he studied English, Greek and Hebrew. He wrote books in different language like Hindi, Bengali, Sanskrit, Persian English and other languages which he has learnt throughout his life. He makes remarkable reformation in education also.
Social work :
Raja Ram Mohan Roy strongly supported abolishment of all social evils such as superstitions, blind faith and evil customs prevailing at that time in the Indian society. He vehemently opposed sati, an old Hindu ritual where widows of Indian husbands would immolate themselves in their husband's funeral pyre. Ram Mohan Roy was assisted by Lord William Bentinck in his initiative to eradicate the Sati system by passing an Act in 1833. He also fought for abolishment of child marriages, cast system, female infanticide, polygamy, untouchability etc.To fight against the traditional system of evil customs Raja Ram Moham Roy established Atmiya Sabha in 1814. Later in 1828, this association was renamed as Brahma Samaj. It is noteworthy that Brahmo Samaj was one of the first Indian socio-religious reform movements. Raja Rammohan assisted for the improvement of women and also for their equal right. Brahmo samaj had a definite aim. The society worked towards bringing unity among different castes and creeds and fought against age old social taboos. Brahmo samaj believed in one God. Raja Ram Mohan Roy himself believed in bringing in humanitarian principles to Hindu Religion, some of them similar to Christianity, which could legitimize Hindu religion. Brahmo Samaj didn't believe in the multiplicity of gods and goddesses, idol worship or caste distinction.
Raja Rammohan Roy believed that education can be the ideal way to bring positive changes in the society.
He setup Hindu College, Anglo Hindu School and Vedanta College, through which he inducted western education for the Hindu students.
As a social reformist, he rejected the ideas of child marriage, caste system, Sati and polygamy.
He was the one who raised the issue that daughters should also have rights over parents' property.