Kolkata, August 10: A family member of the renowned social reformer and educator Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar has made a significant request to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Amitav Banerjee, a relative of Vidyasagar, attended the ‘Janata Darbar’ and urged the government to celebrate Vidyasagar’s birth anniversary as ‘Bengali Education Day’ while also advocating for the comprehensive development of his ancestral village, Virsingha.
Banerjee highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned how Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar learned English numerals by observing milestones during his childhood. He emphasized that the Bengali language we learn today is a gift from Vidyasagar. While we discuss initiatives like ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao,’ Vidyasagar opened 35 schools for women during British rule, marking an unprecedented advancement in education. He believes the best way to honor Vidyasagar is to declare his birthday as ‘Bengali Education Day.’
Banerjee expressed deep concern over the dire condition of Virsingha, Vidyasagar’s birthplace. He noted that the village still lacks basic development, with electricity being unreliable. He raised questions about connectivity, stating that traveling from Kolkata to Virsingha requires reliance on buses or trains. He questioned why there cannot be direct connectivity from Howrah to Virsingha when a metro rail runs under the Ganges. He called for the establishment of a new railway line from Goghata to Panskuda leading to Virsingha.
Referencing Rabindranath Tagore, who considered Vidyasagar his guru, Banerjee asked why Virsingha cannot experience development similar to that of Bolpur Shantiniketan and other sites associated with Tagore. He further stated that while people typically visit the Janata Darbar for personal matters like jobs, transfers, medical assistance, or property disputes, he came solely to honor the great educator and advocate for the development of his village.
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