Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister Manohar Lal, and several Chief Ministers on Sunday, 27 September paid solemn tributes to social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy on his death anniversary, collectively honouring him as the 'pioneer' of the Indian renaissance and crediting him with making an 'unparalleled contribution' to women's empowerment and the abolition of regressive social practices.

Gadkari and Manohar Lal Lead Tributes

In a post on social media platform X, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari wrote: 'In the field of social and religious renaissance in India, reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy ji holds a distinctive place. His journalism played the role of showing the right direction to the movements of the Indian freedom struggle. Humble salutations to him on his death anniversary today.'

Union Minister Manohar Lal described Roy as the pioneer of the Indian Renaissance, a great social reformer, educationist, and founder of the Brahmo Samaj. 'The work he did for education and women's empowerment is unparalleled. Through his welfare-oriented thoughts and farsightedness, he made an unparalleled contribution to freeing society from superstition and evil practices; that will always remain inspiring,' the Minister wrote on X.

Chief Ministers Remember Roy's Fight Against Sati

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta specifically remembered Roy's relentless struggle against the practice of Sati, stating: 'From the struggle against evil practices like Sati to the promotion of women's dignity and the spread of modern education, he freed society from rigid traditions and showed the path of new consciousness and progress. His vision of building an empowered India through social reform continues to inspire us even today.'

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called Roy 'an eradicator of social evils' who 'empowered women and was a carrier of modern ideas,' adding that Roy's establishment of the Brahmo Samaj and his progressive vision towards nation-building 'remain exemplary for all of us.'

Rajasthan and Uttarakhand CMs Add Their Voice

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said Roy's 'contribution to the eradication of evil practices like Sati, the promotion of women's education, and laying the foundation of modern ideas is unforgettable,' and that his thoughts 'will forever inspire us all to build an egalitarian and progressive society.'

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami echoed those sentiments, crediting Roy's 'tireless efforts for women's rights, education, and social equality' with infusing 'a new consciousness into Indian society.'

Roy's Enduring Legacy

Raja Ram Mohan Roy, widely regarded as the 'Father of the Indian Renaissance,' was instrumental in the abolition of Sati in 1829 under British India's Bengal Sati Regulation Act, one of the landmark legislative victories of India's early social reform movement. His founding of the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 laid the intellectual groundwork for a rationalist, monotheistic social order that challenged caste hierarchy and religious orthodoxy. Notably, the tributes on his death anniversary this year arrived from leaders across party lines and multiple states, underscoring the cross-ideological reverence his legacy commands in contemporary India.