Jharkhand's Karmatand block named as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

The Jharkhand government on Thursday named Jamtara districts Karmatand block as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar block as a mark of respect on the birth anniversary of the great social reformer. Saluting Vidyasagar on his birth anniversary, Das called upon the society, especially the youth, to take inspiration from the great inspirational figure.

Vidyasagar was born on September 26, 1820. "Jamtaras Karmatand prakhand (block) was the 'karma bhumi' (workplace) of social reformer and a strong supporter of women's education Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. Now the block will be known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar prakhand," an official release quoting Chief Minister Raghubar Das said.

Vidyasagar spent 18-years of his life at Karmatand. He not only lived with santhals at Karmatand but tried to uplift their social structure. He started the first formal school for Santhal girls. He opened a free Homeopathy clinic to provide some medical care to these unprivileged tribal people.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was a Bengali polymath and a key figure of the Bengal Renaissance. He was a philosopher, academic educator, writer, translator, printer, publisher, entrepreneur, reformer and philanthropist.