Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay  was Bengali Polymath and a key figure of the Bengal Renaissance who initiated path breaking reforms in traditional upper caste Hindu Society. He was a philosopher, academic educator, writer, translator, printer, publisher, entrepreneur, reformer and philanthropist, in fact the path-breaking reformer & educationist who forever remains Bengal’s intellectual pride.

• Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was also known as Daya-r-Sagar or Karunar Sagar because of his generous nature, particularly towards the poor.

• Vidyasagar brought about a revolution in the Bengali education system and refined the way Bengali language was written and taught. His book, ‘Borno Porichoy’ is still used as the introductory text to learn Bengali alphabets.

• He was given the title Vidyasagar from the Sanskrit College, Calcutta because of his excellent knowledge of Sanskrit and philosophy. In 1839, Vidyasagar successfully cleared his Law examination and in 1841, at the age of 21, he joined Fort William College as a head of the Sanskrit department.

• He supported widow remarriage which ultimately resulted in legislation of Widow Remarriage Act in 1856. The Widow Remarriage Act made the marriage of widows legal. He also fiercely opposed polygamy and child marriage.

• On 7 May 1849, Vidyasagar, with support from anglo-Indian lawyer John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune, established the first permanent girls’ school in India — Bethune School.

• He was also associated with prestigious publications such as Tattwabodhini Patrika, Somprakash, Sarbashubhankari Patrika and Hindu Patriot.

Accolades

Vidyasagar Setu is a bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India which links the city of Howrah to its twin city of Kolkata.

Vidyasagar College in Kolkata and Vidyasagar University in Paschim Midnapore is named after him.

 Vidyasagar Street in Central Kolkata is named after him.

West Bengal Goverment has established a stadium named after this great man at North 24 Parganas.

There is Vidyasagar Hall of Residence at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Vidyasagar Station in Jamtara district of Jharkhand to his honour.

Indian Post issued stamps featuring Vidyasagar in 1970 and 1998.