CM Sukhu pays tribute to Raja Ram Mohan Roy on death anniversary
Synopsis
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on 27 September 2026 paid homage to Raja Ram Mohan Roy on his death anniversary, honouring the Brahmo Samaj founder's fight against sati, polygamy and social inequality.
Key Takeaways
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu posted a tribute to Raja Ram Mohan Roy on 27 September 2026 .
Roy founded Brahmo Samaj in 1828 , a landmark movement for social and religious reform in India.
Roy's advocacy directly contributed to the abolition of sati in 1829 under colonial law.
He also campaigned against polygamy and child marriage while championing women's rights and modern education.
Roy died on 27 September 1833 in Bristol; Indian leaders across parties mark the date each year.
On the death anniversary of one of India's most transformative voices, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu offered homage to Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the 19th-century social reformer whose campaigns reshaped the moral and intellectual landscape of the subcontinent.
In his post on Sunday, 27 September 2026, CM Sukhu wrote: 'महान समाज सुधारक, ब्रह्म समाज के संस्थापक एवं भारतीय पुनर्जागरण के अग्रदूत राजा राममोहन राय जी की पुण्यतिथि पर सादर नमन।' — 'Humble tribute on the death anniversary of the great social reformer, founder of Brahmo Samaj, and pioneer of the Indian Renaissance, Raja Ram Mohan Roy. His struggle against social evils and his reformist ideas will always be remembered.'
The man who challenged an era
Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded Brahmo Samaj in 1828, a movement that sought to strip Hinduism of what he considered superstition and social injustice. His most consequential campaign was against sati — the practice of widows immolating themselves on their husbands' funeral pyres — which the British colonial administration formally abolished in 1829, in no small part due to his relentless advocacy. He also fought polygamy and child marriage, and championed Western-style education and women's rights at a time when such positions carried real social cost.
Roy's legacy sits at the root of what historians call the Indian Renaissance — a 19th-century intellectual and social awakening that laid groundwork for the eventual independence movement. He died on 27 September 1833 in Bristol, England, and that date has since been observed as his punyatithi (death anniversary) across India.
A ritual of remembrance in Indian public life
The tribute fits a well-established pattern in Indian political culture: leaders across the spectrum mark the death anniversaries of 19th-century reformers as a way of publicly aligning themselves with the arc of social progress. It is a form of institutional memory — a signal that the reforms Roy championed, from women's dignity to rational thought, remain live values rather than archived history.
Point of View
Such homages carry particular resonance, given the party's self-identification with the reform and freedom movements. The choice to publicly honour Roy also implicitly signals a commitment to rationalism and social equality — themes that retain political salience in contemporary Indian discourse. These annual observances function less as historical footnotes and more as soft-power markers of a leader's ideological positioning.
NationPress
27 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Raja Ram Mohan Roy?
Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a 19th-century Indian social reformer who founded Brahmo Samaj in 1828 and campaigned successfully against sati, polygamy and child marriage while advocating for women's rights and Western education.
When did Raja Ram Mohan Roy die?
Raja Ram Mohan Roy died on 27 September 1833 in Bristol, England. His death anniversary is observed annually across India.
What is Brahmo Samaj?
Brahmo Samaj is a social and religious reform movement founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828 in Calcutta. It sought to reform Hinduism by rejecting superstition and social inequality, and became a cornerstone of the Indian Renaissance.
Why did CM Sukhu pay tribute to Raja Ram Mohan Roy?
Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu paid tribute on 27 September 2026 — the death anniversary of Raja Ram Mohan Roy — honouring the reformer's legacy in fighting social evils and championing human rights in 19th-century India.
What was Raja Ram Mohan Roy's role in abolishing sati?
Roy conducted a sustained public campaign against sati, the practice of widows being burned on their husbands' funeral pyres. His advocacy was instrumental in the British colonial government abolishing sati in 1829.
