The learned Indians who came under the British influence realized that immediate reform was required for the emancipation of Indian women and for raising their social status. A number of Reformers led the way in launching social movements to improve the position of Women :
1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy : The founder of of 'Brahma Samaj' played an important role in getting the 'Sati' system abolished. He raised his voice against child-marriage and 'purdah' system. He also fought for the right of inheritance of women. It was at his behest the British Government introduced the Prevention of Sati Act in 1829.
2. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar : He launched a movement for the right of widows to remarry and pleaded for educating women. It was due to his efforts and the pressure that he brought on the British Government, the Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856.
3. Maharshi Karve : He took up the problem of widow remarriage and education of women. He established the S.N.D.T University for Women in Poona, the first of its kind, in 1916.
4. Maharshi Dayanand Saraswathi : He started the 'Arya Samaj' advocated equal rights to women as they used to enjoy the same during the vedic times.
5. Maharaja Sayyaji Rao Gaekwar : He was the ruler of Baroda state, worked for preventing child-marriages, polygyny and getting the right of education to women and the right of remarriage to widows.
6. Swami Vivekananda : He launched the "Sri Ramakrishna Mission" gave importance to the education and self-dependence of women. He gave a call to come out of seclusion and bondage. He took a stand for the liberation of women and equality of treatment on the basis of Vedantic ideals that "one and the same self is present in all beings". He emphasized that by giving good education women should be enabled to solve their own problems by thinking independently.
7. Other Reformers like Dadabai Navaroji, Gopalkrishna Gkhale, Mahatama Gandhi ji and others also played their role in improving the status of women through the Congress movement and also at their individual capacities.
8. Women Leaders with Western background such as Nivedita, Annie Besant, Margaret Cousins and indigenous women leaders like Sarojini Naidu, Pandit Rama Bai, Ramabai Ranade, Torudutt and others tired to involve large number of Indian women in various political, social, cultural and other activities.
These Reformers and their social movements succeeded in arousing the social consciousness for the liberation and equal rights to women.
1. Raja Ram Mohan Roy : The founder of of 'Brahma Samaj' played an important role in getting the 'Sati' system abolished. He raised his voice against child-marriage and 'purdah' system. He also fought for the right of inheritance of women. It was at his behest the British Government introduced the Prevention of Sati Act in 1829.
2. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar : He launched a movement for the right of widows to remarry and pleaded for educating women. It was due to his efforts and the pressure that he brought on the British Government, the Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856.
3. Maharshi Karve : He took up the problem of widow remarriage and education of women. He established the S.N.D.T University for Women in Poona, the first of its kind, in 1916.
4. Maharshi Dayanand Saraswathi : He started the 'Arya Samaj' advocated equal rights to women as they used to enjoy the same during the vedic times.
5. Maharaja Sayyaji Rao Gaekwar : He was the ruler of Baroda state, worked for preventing child-marriages, polygyny and getting the right of education to women and the right of remarriage to widows.
6. Swami Vivekananda : He launched the "Sri Ramakrishna Mission" gave importance to the education and self-dependence of women. He gave a call to come out of seclusion and bondage. He took a stand for the liberation of women and equality of treatment on the basis of Vedantic ideals that "one and the same self is present in all beings". He emphasized that by giving good education women should be enabled to solve their own problems by thinking independently.
7. Other Reformers like Dadabai Navaroji, Gopalkrishna Gkhale, Mahatama Gandhi ji and others also played their role in improving the status of women through the Congress movement and also at their individual capacities.
8. Women Leaders with Western background such as Nivedita, Annie Besant, Margaret Cousins and indigenous women leaders like Sarojini Naidu, Pandit Rama Bai, Ramabai Ranade, Torudutt and others tired to involve large number of Indian women in various political, social, cultural and other activities.
These Reformers and their social movements succeeded in arousing the social consciousness for the liberation and equal rights to women.