Rajaram Mohan Roy was a key figure in the Indian renaissance who fought against social evils like sati and child marriage. He founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 to promote social reform based on Hindu scriptures and rational thinking. Roy campaigned to abolish sati and pushed for modern education in India by establishing schools that taught both Western sciences and Indian texts. He is considered the father of the Indian renaissance for introducing reforms that modernized Indian society in the 18th and 19th centuries.

1. Topic : Rajaram Mohan roy's Contribution in Indian renaissance.
Name : Vaghela Divya d
Course :M. A (sem -1)
Batch :2018-20
Roll no :08
Email ID :vaghela.divya230@gmail.com
Enrollment no : 2069108420190044
Paper no :4 Indian writing in English
Rajaram Mohan Roy :
Born: August 14, 1774
Place of Birth: Radhanagar village, Hoogly district, Bengal Presidency (now West Bengal)
Parents: Ramakanta Roy (Father) and Tarini Devi (Mother)
Spouse: Uma Devi (3rd wife)
Children: Radhaprasad and Ramaprasad
Education: Persian and Urdu in Patna; Sanskrit in Varanasi; English in Kolkata
Movement: Bengal Renaissance

2. Religious Views: Hinduism (early life) and Brahmoism (later in life)
Publications: Tuhfat-ul-Muwahhidinor A Gift to Monotheists (1905), Vedanta (1815), Ishopanishad
(1816), Kathopanishad (1817), Moonduk Upanishad (1819), The Precepts of Jesus - Guide to Peace and
Happiness (1820), Sambad Kaumudi - a Bengali newspaper (1821), Mirat-ul-Akbar - Persian journal
(1822), Gaudiya Vyakaran (1826), Brahmapasona (1828), Brahmasangeet (1829) and The Universal
Religion (1829).
Death: September 27, 1833
Place of death: Bristol, England
Memorial: Mausoleum at Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol, England
Raja Ram Mohan Roy is considered as the pioneer of modern Indian Renaissance for the remarkable
reforms he brought in the 18th and 19th century India. Among his efforts, the abolition of the brutal and
inhuman Sati Pratha was the most prominent. His efforts were also instrumental in eradicating the
purdah system and child marriage. In 1828, Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj, uniting the
Bhramos in Calcutta, a group of people, who had no faith in idol-worship and were against the caste
restrictions. The title 'Raja' was bestowed upon him by the Mughal emperor Akbar II, in 1831. Roy
visited England as an ambassador of the Mughal King to ensure that Bentick's regulation banning the
practice of Sati was not overturned. He died of meningitis in 1833 while residing in Bristol, England.
Though his father Ramakanto was very orthodox but wanted his son to pursue higher education. He got
Bengali and Sanskrit education from the village school. After that, Ram Mohan was sent to Patna to
study Persian and Arabic in a Madrasa. Persian and Arabic were in high demand at that time as it was
still the court language of the Mughal Emperors. He studied the Quran and other Islamic scriptures. Post
completion of his studies in Patna, he went to Benares (Kashi) to learn Sanskrit. He mastered the
language in no time and began studying scriptures, including the Vedas and Upanishads. He learnt
English language at the age of 22. He read the works of philosophers like Euclid and Aristotle which
helped shape his spiritual and religious conscience.
Post completion of his education, Rammohan entered the services of the East India Company as a clerk.
He worked in the Collectorate of Rangpur, under Mr. John Digby. He was eventually promoted to be a

3. Dewan, a post that referred to a native officer entrusted with the role of collecting revenues.
Social Reforms
During the late 18th century (what was known as the Dark Age), the society in Bengal was burdened
with a host of evil customs and regulations. Elaborate rituals and strict moral codes were enforced
which were largely modified, and badly interpreted ancient traditions. Practices like child marriage
(Gouridaan), polygamy and Sati were prevalent that affected women in the society. The most brutal
among these customs was the Sati Pratha. The custom involved self-immolation of widows at their
husband’s funeral pyre. While the custom in its original form gave choice to the women to do so, it
gradually evolved to be a mandatory custom especially for Brahmin and higher caste families. Young
girls were married to much older men, in return for dowry, so that these men could have the supposed
karmic benefits from their wives’ sacrifice as Sati. More often than not the women did not volunteer for
such brutality and had to be forced or even drugged to comply.
Religious Contributions
Ram Mohan Roy vehemently opposed the unnecessary ceremonialism and the idolatry advocate by
priests. He had studied religious scriptures of different religions and advocated the fact that Hindu
Scriptures like Upanishads upheld the concept of monotheism. This began his quest for a religious
revolution to introduce the doctrines of ancient Vedic scriptures true to their essence. He founded the
Atmiya Sabha in 1928, nd the first meeting of this new-found religion as held on August 20 that year.
The Atmiya Sabha reorganised itself into the Brahma Sabha, a precursor organisation of the Brahmo
Samaj. The primary facets of this new movement were monotheism, independence from the scriptures
and renouncing the caste system. Brahmo religious practices were stripped bare of the Hindu
ceremonialism and were set up following the Christian or Islamic prayer practices. With time, the
Brahma Samaj became a strong progressive force to drive social reforms in Bengal, especially women
education.
Contribution in Indian renaissance :
The central figure of this cultural awakening was Raja Rammohan Roy. Known as the “father of the
Indian Renaissance”, Rammohan Roy was a great patriot, scholar and humanist. He was moved by deep
love for the country and worked throughout his life for the social, religious, intellectual and political
regeneration of the Indians.
The central figure of this cultural awakening was Raja Rammohan Roy. Known as the “father of the

4. Indian Renaissance”, Rammohan Roy was a great patriot, scholar and humanist. He was moved by deep
love for the country and worked throughout his life for the social, religious, intellectual and political
regeneration of the Indians.Rammohan Roy was one of the earliest propagators of modern Western
education. He looked upon it as a major instrument for the spread of modern ideas in the country. He
was associated with the foundation the Hindu College in Calcutta (which later came to be known as the
Presidency College). He also maintained at his own cost an English school in Calcutta. In addition, he
established a Vedanta College where both Indian learning and Western social and physical science
courses were offered.He sent petitions to the government to adopt a wider system of public education
in English. He also recognised the importance of vernaculars for spreading new ideas. He compiled a
Bengali grammar and developed an easy and modern style of Bengali prose.
Journalism:
Rammohan Roy was a pioneer of Indian journalism. He himself published journals in Bengali, Persian,
Hindi and English to educate the public on various current issues. Samvad Kaumudi was the most
important journal brought out by him.
Rammohan Roy and Internationalism:
Rammohan Roy was a firm believer in internationalism. He held that the suffering and happiness of one
nation should affect the rest of the world. He took a keen interest in international events and always
supported the cause of liberty and nationalism. He celebrated the success of the revolution in Spain in
1823 by hosting a public dinner.
Religious Reforms:
Rammohan Roy struggled persistently against social evils. He argued that ancient Hindu texts the Vedas
and the Upanishads upheld the doctrine of monotheism. To prove his point, he translated the Vedas and
five Upanishads into Bengali.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
In 1849 he wrote Gift to Monotheism in Persian. Rammohan Roy was a staunch believer in the
philosophy of Vedanta (Upanishads) and vigorously defended the Hindu religion and Hindu philosophy
from the attack of the missionaries. He only wanted to mould Hinduism into a new cast to suit the
requirements of the age.
In 1829 Rammohan Roy founded a new religious society known as the Atmiya Sabha which later on
came to be known as the Brahmo Samaj. This religious society was based on the twin pillars of
rationalism and the philosophy of the Vedas. The Brahmo Samaj emphasised human dignity, criticised
idolatry and denounced social evils like sati.

5. Rammohan Roy represented the first glimmerings of the rise of national consciousness in India. He
opposed the rigidity of the caste system because it destroyed the unity of the country. The poet
Rabindranath Tagore has rightly remarked: “Rammohan was the only person in his time, in the whole
world of men, to realise completely the significance of the Modern Age.”
He preached the unity of God, made early translations of Vedic scriptures into English, co-founded the
Calcutta Unitarian Society and founded the Brahma Samaj. The Brahma Samaj played a major role in
reforming and modernising the Indian society. He successfully campaigned against sati, the practice of
burning widows. He sought to integrate Western culture with the best features of his own country's
traditions. He established a number of schools to popularize a modern system of education in India. He
promoted a rational, ethical, non-authoritarian, this-worldly, and social-reform Hinduism. His writings
also sparked interest among British and American Unitarians.
The institution was aimed at fighting various social evils as Roy believed that only proper education
could help bring in reforms. He set up many education institutions like the Hindu College in Calcutta in
1817, the Anglo-Hindu School in 1822 and Vedanta College.
Later in life, he also translated Vedic scriptures into English.
Roy is mainly remembered for his work towards getting the practice of sati abolished. But, as pointed by
Free Press Journal, he only developed his opposition to the practice after he witnessed the immolation
of his sister-in-law at his brother's funeral. It is said that the incident left such an impact on Roy's mind
that he then began visiting crematoriums to see if women were being forced to commit sati.
Roy's many contributions to the Indian society continue to find their relevance even today.
Thank you.........

6. Rammohan Roy represented the first glimmerings of the rise of national consciousness in India. He
opposed the rigidity of the caste system because it destroyed the unity of the country. The poet
Rabindranath Tagore has rightly remarked: “Rammohan was the only person in his time, in the whole
world of men, to realise completely the significance of the Modern Age.”
He preached the unity of God, made early translations of Vedic scriptures into English, co-founded the
Calcutta Unitarian Society and founded the Brahma Samaj. The Brahma Samaj played a major role in
reforming and modernising the Indian society. He successfully campaigned against sati, the practice of
burning widows. He sought to integrate Western culture with the best features of his own country's
traditions. He established a number of schools to popularize a modern system of education in India. He
promoted a rational, ethical, non-authoritarian, this-worldly, and social-reform Hinduism. His writings
also sparked interest among British and American Unitarians.
The institution was aimed at fighting various social evils as Roy believed that only proper education
could help bring in reforms. He set up many education institutions like the Hindu College in Calcutta in
1817, the Anglo-Hindu School in 1822 and Vedanta College.
Later in life, he also translated Vedic scriptures into English.
Roy is mainly remembered for his work towards getting the practice of sati abolished. But, as pointed by
Free Press Journal, he only developed his opposition to the practice after he witnessed the immolation
of his sister-in-law at his brother's funeral. It is said that the incident left such an impact on Roy's mind
that he then began visiting crematoriums to see if women were being forced to commit sati.
Roy's many contributions to the Indian society continue to find their relevance even today.
Thank you.........