Raja Ram Mohan Roy’s 250th birth anniversary:

GS Paper 1:

Syllabus: Modern Indian History Significant events, issues, personalities.

Context:

The 250th Birth Anniversary of Raja Ram Mohan Roy was celebrated on May 22nd this year.

About Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

• He is popularly remembered as the father of Indian renaissance.
• He was born on 22 May, 1772 in Radhanagar (Bengal Presidency).
• He represented Akbar II in England where he pleaded for his pension and allowances. Akbar II awarded him the title ‘Raja’.

Social Contributions:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a crusader of women rights.

• He stood against the practice of The Abolition of Satis Act, 1829, was a result of R.R Mohan Roy’s efforts.
• He pleaded for the right of inheritance and property for women.
• He fought against polygamy and child marriage which were prevalent back then.
• He supported women education as he believed that only education would fetch women equal social status with men.

Organisations he is associated with:

• Started Atmiya Sabha in 1814 in order to crusade against idol worship, meaningless rituals and superstitious beliefs. He spreaded the monotheistic ideals.
• In 1817, along with David Hare, he founded the Hindu College at Calcutta.
• The Calcutta Unitarian Committee, jointly founded by William Adam and Rammohun Roy in September 1821, sought to bring together prominent Brahmins who were friends of Roy’s and supporters of his agenda for the promotion of religious monotheism and social reform.
• He created the ‘Brahma Sabha’ in 1828 (set up with Debendranath Tagore).
• In 1822, he set up the Anglo-Hindu school which taught mechanics and Voltaire’s philosophy.
• In 1825, he started the Vedanta college where Indian learning, as well as the Western social and physical sciences, were taught.
• In 1830, he assisted Alexander Duff to set up the General Assembly’s Institution, which later became the Scottish Church College.

Literary Contributions:

1. Brahmanical Magazine (1821).
2. Sambad Kaumudi, a Bengali weekly, started in 1822.
3. Mirat-ul-Akbar, a Persian journal.
4. Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidin (1804).
5. Vedanta Gantha (1815).
6. Translation of an abridgement of the Vedanta Sara (1816).
7. Kenopanishads (1816).
8. Ishopanishad (1816).
9. Kathopanishad (1817).

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. Who gave Ram Mohan Roy the title ‘Raja’?
2. Institutions/organizations he was associated with?
3. Important Literary Works.

Mains Link:

Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered as the “father of Modern India”. Discuss his contributions in making India progressive and rational which set our country on a path of modernity.

Q.1) Consider the following statements:

1. 1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy represented Akbar II in England where he pleaded for his pension and allowances.
   2. In 1825, he started the Vedanta college.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

1. 1. 1 only
   2. 2 only
   3. Both
   4. None. ]

Sources: PIB.