Kolkata, Jul 30 (IANS): The Raj Bhavan in Kolkata will soon have a chair named after the great educationist and social reformer Ishwar Chandra Chattopadhyay, popularly known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, whose relentless efforts paved way for instruction of the system of widow remarriage in the country.

Governor House sources said that the decision of having the chair in the name of the great Indian social reformer was taken by the Governor C.V. Ananda Bose.

The academic matter related to the chair will be handled by Kolkata based Sanskrit College & University, which has been enriched by the academic association of Vidyasagr.

Sources said Raj Bhavan will be also hosting two special awards in the sphere of academics named after Vidyasagar. The first award will be for any educational institution doing exemplary work in women education. This award will be given as a mark of respect towards the relentless efforts by the great Indian educationist and the social reformer in spreading women education at a time when societal norms act as great barriers for this issue. The second award will be for the best academician of the year.

Since December last year, an initiative has been mooted so that after almost 200 years since its inception in 1824, Kolkata’s iconic Sanskrit Collegiate School, having Vidyasagar as its student and teacher, top open its doors for the girl students.

Sanskrit Collegiate School is currently a boys’ school from Class 1 to Class 12. In the higher secondary section, the institution has science and arts wings.