RAJA RAMMOHAN ROY

1772 1833
Raja Rammohan Roy was born in the village of Radhanagar in the district of
Hoogly on the 22nd May, 1772 in a prosperous and orthodox Brahmin family.
Three generations of his ancestors were in the service of Muslim kings. His
father Ramakant was very keen about his sons education. He started his
education from his village school and learnt Sanskrit, Bengali, Urdu and
Persian. Later on he learnt English, Arabic, Latin, French and even Hebrew.
His writings in many of the above languages reflect a fair command on them.
Roy was the title given to his ancestors by the Nawab of Bengal. He pleaded
a case on behalf of the Mogul Emperor in England in 1830 and the Emperor
conferred the title of Raja on him.
Raja Rammohan Roy was interested not only in different languages but
also in different religions. At Patna, he studied Koran and Koranic literature.
Then he went to Benaras where he made himself well-versed in Upanishads and
Upanishadic literature. His exposure to different religions and his vast learning
shook his faith in the priest-ridden idolatry of the Hindu religion of the day.
Since his parents were orthodox and estrangement between him and his parents
made him leave his paternal home. He went to Benaras along with his two living
wives, where he used to spend his time in reading and writing besides earning
money for his family.
Raja Rammohan Roy served East India Company for a period of ten years
from 1805 to 1815. After his retirement from East Indian Company, he fully
devoted himself to social services in Calcutta.

Like all gentlemen, he did a lot of useful work in his life. He was full of
enthusiasm for improvements in all fields educational, social, political and
religious. He had inexhaustible energy for his multifarious activities.
In the sphere of education, he powerfully pleaded for scientific education
on Western lines as against scholastic education on ancient lines. He strongly
felt that the prevalent education was inadequate for the needs of modern
India. He wanted European teachers for teaching Mathematics, Philosophy,
Chemistry, Anatomy and other useful sciences.
Politics and Public administration also claimed his attention. In fact, it is
in the field of politics and public administration that he shows the remarkable
powers of his mind. It is another matter that there was not much scope for the
exercise of his mental faculties in these fields. However, his opinions on these
subjects lead us to believe that he was one of the remarkable men that our
country has produced.
But it is in the field of social reforms that he is more widely remembered.
And in the field of social reform it is the abolition of Sati on particular, with
which his name is inextricably woven. He launched a powerful campaign against
this cruel system. He roused public opinion against it. At last his labours bore
fruit, and Sati was declared illegal in 1829 by Lord William Bentinck.
In those days polygamy was also prevalent. It is also a nasty-social evil.
Raja Rammohan Roy pleaded against this system by quoting Hindu authorities.
He was successful in creating a strong public opinion against this evil.
Another achievement, for which Raja Rammohan Roy is well-known, is the
founding of the Brahmo Samaj. He wanted to reform the priest-ridden
ritualistic Hindus religious. He repeatedly said that he had no intention of
departing from the ancient Hindu religion. He condemned idol-worship. He said

that the Brahmo Samaj was based on the theism of Hindu scriptures. His main
idea was to purge the society of religious evils. Thus he was also a religious
reformancer. Though he was a great reformer yet he remained faithful to the
best traditions of his country. He was proud of Indias past, and proud of the
achievements of his race. He was also keen to conserve all that was good, noble
and great in the ancient Hindu religion.
It is very rare in the history of the man-kind that a person should involve
himself in such varied activities and get such distinction as Raja Rammohan Roy
got. While some of his efforts were rewarded during his lifetime, some other
labours of his bore fruit after his death. For example after two years of his
death the famous Education Decree inaugurating the present system of English
education was passed.
Raja Rammohan Roy was in fact, the father of Indian politics. Though his
political horizon was confined to India yet his thinking was truly cosmopolitan.
His mind was saturated with love for freedom. He hated barriers of race, creed,
colour and country. He wanted equal rights for men and women. He was against
exploitation of any section of society. His active sympathies were always with
the oppressed.
He played a leading role not only in fighting against and eradicating social
evils but also in reviving pride in our ancient culture and heritage. He was truly
the father of the wave of cultural revival, which was reaction against the great
challenge thrown by the western culture and civilization which was politically
dominant and economically powerful. He was a champion of humanitarianism.
But all these variegated educational, social and religious activities told on
Raja Rammohan Roys health. After some illness he passed to his eternal rest
on the 27th September, 1833. His earthly remains lie in a graceful Mausoleum

at Bristol. His grateful countrymen continue remembering his as the Father of

Indian Renaissance.