Who is known as the 'Father of Bengali Prose' (for giving modern Bengali prose its form and simplicity)?

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar is known as the "Father of Bengali Prose", because he gave modern Bengali prose a simple, elegant and well-organised form, and introduced punctuation and a clear style.

About Vidyasagar:

• He was born on 26 September 1820 at Birsingha, in the Midnapore district of Bengal, in a poor Brahmin family; his original name was Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay.
• He received the title "Vidyasagar" ("Ocean of Learning") from the Sanskrit College, Calcutta, in 1839, for his excellence in Sanskrit.
• He became the Principal of the Sanskrit College (1851).

His contributions to Bengali prose:

• He wrote textbooks and primers for children.
• He translated and adapted works from Sanskrit and English into Bengali, such as "Shakuntala" (from Kalidasa), "Sitar Banabas" (from Bhavabhuti) and "Bhrantibilas" (from Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors").
• He introduced punctuation marks in Bengali writing.
• His prose was clear and dignified, and set the standard for later writers.

His social reforms:

• He led the campaign for the remarriage of Hindu widows, quoting the scriptures to show that it was allowed.
• His efforts led to the passing of the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act (1856), and he arranged many widow remarriages, even spending his own money.
• He campaigned against child marriage and polygamy.

He was a pioneer of women's education, and helped set up many schools for girls, including the Bethune School (with J. E. D. Bethune).

He opened the Sanskrit College to students of non-Brahmin castes.

His character:

• He was known for his generosity, simplicity and kindness towards the poor; he was called "Dayar Sagar" (ocean of kindness).
• He died on 29 July 1891.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bankim Chandra was a novelist; Michael Madhusudan Dutt was a poet; Ram Mohan Roy wrote early Bengali prose, but Vidyasagar is called its father.