Ram Mohan Roy was a scholar of Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic who translated the Upanishads, argued for the worship of one formless God, campaigned for the abolition of sati and for women's rights, and founded the Brahmo Sabha. He is often called the father of the Indian Renaissance.
Life
- 1772Born at Radhanagar in the Hooghly district of Bengal.
- 1803–14Works for the East India Company; studies religions widely.
- 1815Settles in Calcutta; forms the Atmiya Sabha and publishes translations of Vedanta texts and Upanishads.
- 1818–20Writes against sati, the burning of widows.
- 1828Founds the Brahmo Sabha, later the Brahmo Samaj.
- 1829Sati is abolished by the government of Lord William Bentinck.
- 1830Travels to England as envoy of the Mughal emperor Akbar II, who gives him the title "Raja".
- 1833Dies at Bristol on 27 September.
Ideas and reforms
Ram Mohan Roy argued from the Upanishads that the original Hindu tradition taught the worship of one formless Brahman, and that practices such as sati, polygamy and the denial of property rights to women were later corruptions. He supported modern education in science and English alongside Indian learning, and campaigned for freedom of the press.
Criticism and debate
Orthodox Hindus of his day opposed his campaign against sati and his rejection of image worship. Later critics, including some nationalists, saw him as too close to British rule and Western ideas; others regard him as a pioneer who showed that reform could be rooted in India's own scriptures.
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Frequently asked questions
What did Raja Ram Mohan Roy do?
He campaigned against sati, founded the Brahmo Sabha (1828), translated the Upanishads and championed women's rights and modern education.
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Read nextSwami Dayananda SaraswatiSources & copyright status
- Ram Mohan Roy, English works (translations of the Upanishads; tracts on sati) — public domain
- Regulation XVII of 1829 abolishing sati — government record
- Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
- Commentary and translations on this page: original to The Hindu Book. © The Hindu Book, all rights reserved.
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