State your opinion on the following statement: Indian social reformers called for social and religious reforms.

Answer: I agree with the statement.

• In the 19th century Indian society suffered from evil customs such as sati, child marriage, ban on widow remarriage, untouchability, caste discrimination and lack of education for women.
• Western education and ideas of liberty, equality and rationalism made educated Indians see these evils.
• Reformers such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy (Brahmo Samaj), Mahatma Phule (Satyashodhak Samaj), Swami Dayanand Saraswati (Arya Samaj), Swami Vivekanand and Pandita Ramabai worked against them.
• They believed that society could progress and fight colonial rule only if it became free from superstition and inequality; hence they called for social and religious reforms.