India’s Greatest Reformers: 51 Extraordinary Stories
This collection brings together the lives of 51 visionary individuals who dared to challenge the injustices baked into Indian society. Some faced fierce backlash. Others persisted despite overwhelming odds. What unites them is an unwavering commitment to change. Consider Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who fought to end Sati and succeeded. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar pushed through legislation in 1856 that permitted widows to remarry, a radical notion at the time. Gandhi and Ambedkar devoted themselves to dismantling the scourge of untouchability. Dayanand Saraswati openly condemned caste hierarchies when few would dare speak such words. Remarkable women like Mary Clubwala Jadhav and Sindhutai Sapkal championed female schooling and orphan welfare respectively. The book doesn't stop in the past. Contemporary crusaders feature prominently too: Kailash Satyarthi, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Devendra Raj Mehta, and Dr Uma Tuli all receive their due recognition for tackling modern social ills. These 51 portraits form a mirror held up to our present moment, prompting us to ask uncomfortable questions about which prejudices still linger, which practices still wound society, and what we might do about it. A sobering, stirring read.
- Author: K.L. Johar
- Publisher: Rupa Publications India
- Genre: Social Sciences
- ISBN: 978-9361567735
- Pages: 248 pages