SSC
The Bengali writer and social reformer who argued that religious leaders gave women an inferior place, and who wrote the feminist utopian story 'Sultana's Dream' (1905), was:
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Answer: Option D — Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain
Detailed Solution
Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain was a Bengali writer and social reformer, who argued that religious leaders of all religions had accorded an inferior place to women, and who wrote the feminist utopian story "Sultana's Dream" (1905).
About Begum Rokeya:
- She was born in 1880 at Pairaband, in the Rangpur district (now in Bangladesh), in a wealthy Muslim family.
- She was not allowed to go to school, but she secretly learnt English and Bengali from her elder brother and sister.
- She married Khan Bahadur Sakhawat Hossain, a magistrate, who encouraged her to write and to work for women's education.
NCERT on Begum Rokeya:
- NCERT notes that Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain learnt to read and write Bengali and English with the support of her brother and sister.
- She went on to become a writer, and wrote a remarkable story titled "Sultana's Dream" in 1905, to practise her English skills.
- It imagines a place called Ladyland, in which women had the freedom to study, work and create inventions, while men were kept in seclusion.
- NCERT also notes that in 1910, she started a school for Muslim girls in Kolkata, which still functions today.
Her views:
- She criticised the purdah system, the lack of education for women, and the subordination of women in society.
- She argued that women should be educated and economically independent.
- She believed that religious leaders had been used to keep women in an inferior position.
Her organisations:
- She founded the Sakhawat Memorial Girls' School in Bhagalpur (1909) and then in Calcutta (1911), in memory of her husband.
- She founded the Anjuman-e-Khawateen-e-Islam (Muslim Women's Association) in 1916.
Her death and memory:
- She died on 9 December 1932.
- 9 December is observed as "Rokeya Day" in Bangladesh.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Pandita Ramabai and Tarabai Shinde were reformers of Maharashtra; Kadambini Ganguly was one of the first women doctors of India.
Quick tip
Remember: Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain = "Sultana's Dream" (1905, Ladyland); school for Muslim girls in Kolkata (NCERT); 9 December = Rokeya Day in Bangladesh.
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Socio-Religious Reform Movements — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Socio-Religious Reform Movements, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
In the 19th century, reformers worked to remove social evils and revive Indian society. This topic covers organisations such as the Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society, Satyashodhak Samaj and the Aligarh Movement, along with their founders and the social reforms they achieved. Questions usually ask who founded an organisation and when, or which reformer is linked to a reform. For example, Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj and campaigned against sati, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar championed widow remarriage, and Jyotiba Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj. A table of organisation, founder, year and place covers most questions. Practise the socio-religious reform movements questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.