On this day Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar, having resigned as principal of Sanskrit College, handed over the charge to Sanskrit scholar E.B. Cowell. Vidyasagar had himself studied at this institution, where he first gained recognition as a brilliant scholar, and had been appointed its principal in 1851. He had introduced radical changes in the structure and teaching methods of Sanskrit College.
He had opened its doors to castes other than Brahmins and Vaidyas (though he was not in favour of allowing all castes at a go); introduced teaching of grammar and mathematics (including algebra) in Bengali and English and not Sanskrit alone; and had wanted to introduce Francis Bacon and J.S. Mill in the syllabus.
In the 1850s, Vidyasagar had also introduced the reforms that changed Indian society forever. His tireless and brave championing of widow remarriage led to the law that allowed it.
In a few months between 1857 and 1858 he had established 35 schools in Bengal for girls. During the 1850s, when he was in his 30s, he had also written the primers for Bengali and a Sanskrit grammar that would change the teaching of these two languages forever.
But Vidyasagar would never compromise his self-respect or autonomy, with either the British authorities or Indian. He resigned from Sanskrit College when he felt he could not implement his ideas freely.
