Ram Mohan Roy was one of my revolutionary heroes during my childhood, particularly his guts to stand against the odd practices in the religion.
One of his main contributions was, to the abolition of the Sati practice, where a widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of coercion jumps to her death into her husbands funeral pyre. The Bengal Sati Regulation Act which banned the Sati practice in India was passed on December 4, 1829, by the then Governor-General Lord William Bentinck.
As a Social reformer, Ram Mohan Roy tried to fight against sati, polygamy, child marriage and the caste system. He also demanded that there should be property inheritance rights for women as well. He was also a great educationist of his time, he had a firm belief that only education can implement social reforms. In 1817, in collaboration with David Hare, he set up the Hindu College at Calcutta. Roy also founded Anglo-Hindu school in 1822. He was one of the early believers in the integration of western learning into Indian education.
Roy was aware of the power of the journal and newspapers. His most popular journal was the ‘Sambad Kaumudi’. It covered topics like freedom of the press, induction of Indians into high ranks of service, and separation of the executive and judiciary. Mohan Roy once said “It is our intention hereafter to give further currency to the Articles inserted in this paper, by translating the most interesting parts in the different languages of the East, particularly Persian and Hindoostanee; but all this will entail considerable expense, the accomplishment of it will, of course, depend upon the encouragement which we may be able to obtain. The foregoing being an outline of what we are desirous of performing, our countrymen will readily conclude that although the paper in question be conducted by us, and may consequently be considered our property, yet virtually it is the ‘paper of the public’ since in it they can at all times have inserted, anything that tends to the public good.”
I can recall during my adolescence, because of him I had so much power to raise questions about my own religion. After so many years of wondering, Ram Mohan Roy may be one of the factors that made me question my father about our religion. And, he candidly responded to my questions. I can think openly and without any influences because of my family/father has instilled in me the teachings of Ram Mohan Roy.