Ans.

Widow remarriage movement under the leadership of Vidyasagar:- Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar of Bengal has been a pioneer in bringing social consciousness.  While holding the post of Principal of the Sanskrit College of Calcutta, he allowed all castes to study Sanskrit.  His most important contribution to the field of society was in getting widow remarriage recognized.  He spent his whole life in the remarriage of widows.  Due to his efforts, 25 widows could be remarried between 1855-56 AD.  In 1855 AD, he gave the signed petition of 984 people to the Company Government to make widow remarriage law.  Following his appeal, Raja Mahtab Chandra of Bardhaman and Raja Shri Chandra of Nadia also sent applications to this effect.  Dalhousie’s executive members welcomed Vidyasagar’s suggestions and passed the Widow Remarriage Act on July 26, 1856.

 Success to Vidyasagar:- As far as the success in the field of widow remarriage is concerned, Vidyasagar was completely successful in his campaign.  He succeeded in filling the educated class of Bengal with the feeling that the progress of their Bengali society is not possible due to the oppression of widows.  He presented an ideal to society by marrying his only son to a widow.  Seeing this, efforts have started to improve the condition of widows in other provinces of India and towards their remarriage.  In this direction D.K.  The names Karve, Veereshlingam Puntlu, and Vishnu Shastri Pandit are noteworthy.