(a) Annie Besant
(b) Debendranatha Tagore
(c) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
(d) Sarojini Naidu
Answer: c
Explanation:
J.E.D Bethune
John Elliot Drinkwater Bethune (J.E.D Bethune) arrived in India in 1848, as the Law member of the Governor General’s Council and by virtue of his position, Bethune became the President of the Council of Education.
He considered education as the only means for the rapid improvement of women and took a keen interest in spreading education of women as well as in eradication of social evils.
J.E.D Bethune established Calcutta Female School, the first school for girls in Calcutta with the help of Raja Dakshinaranjan Mukhopadhyay, Ramgopal Ghosh, and Pandit Madan Mohan Tarkalankar in 1849, with 21 girls on its roll.
The school established by Bethune was maintained from the private funds of its founder until his death in August, 1851. In later days this school came to be known as Bethune School. Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar was the first Secretary of Bethune School.
Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
● A great scholar and reformer dedicated his entire life to the cause of social reform.
● A sanskrit scholar and served as Principal of Sanskrit college.
● He waged a long struggle in favour of widow remarriage. The agitation was successful and Widow remarriage act was enacted by Lord canning in 1856
● Vidyasagar protested against child marriage. All his life he campaigned against polygamy.
● As secretary to the Bethune school, he was one of the pioneers of higher education for women.
Hence, option c is correct.
Read: Previous Year UPSC History Questions (PYQs) With Explanation 2021