Governor General William Bentinck: Abolished the evil custom of ''Sati'' in 1829 - British India

Gov. Gen. William Bentinck.bbc.com

Above image: Bentinck, then the governor general of Bengal, sought the views of 49 senior army officers and five judges, and was convinced that the time had come to "wash out a foul stain upon British rule".

Evil Social Custom Sati, India in.pinterest.com

Sati-the practice of burning a Hindu woman .freethoughtblogs.com

 Above image: The practice of ''Sati'' among the Hindus of some classes  where a widow immolates herself on her husband's funeral pyre, was a deeply ingrained social evil in parts of India.  Raja Ram Mohan Roy and other frontline social reformers viewed Sati as a barbaric and inhumane custom that ought to be banned for  life.  

Among  the Indian natives, the conservative Hindus, followed  many age old customs.  Though most of them  were acceptable, a few were bizarre  and quite harmful to the society, further, they were not within the realm of human decency.  During the colonial period, the British  officials  were reluctant to  interfere and ask the Hindus  to ban such customs that  infringed on the basic  human rights. However.one British senior official was committed  to end  this  horrible  and disgusting custom prevalent  among some Hindu  communities. It was none other than  Gov. Gen of  British India William  Bentinck.

During the colonial period, several age-old customs were prevalent among conservative Hindus, some of which were deeply harmful and inhumane. The British East India Company, following a policy of non-interference in religious matters, initially avoided intervening. However, Governor General William Cavendish Bentinck (1774–1839), who assumed office in 1828, boldly took steps to eliminate such social evils, notably Sati and infanticide.

A progressive administrator, Bentinck reorganized law and order, cracked down on the criminal activities of thugs, opened subordinate government jobs to Indians, introduced press liberty, and reformed education. Among his most significant acts was the abolition of Sati, a practice in which widows were forced or expected to immolate themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre. Supported by Indian reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Bentinck gathered data from officials, judges, and the police before acting.

In December 1829, through Regulation XVII, Sati was declared illegal and punishable by criminal courts. Initially enforced in Bengal, the law was later extended to Madras and Bombay. While some orthodox Bengalis appealed to the Privy Council, widespread protest was absent.

Despite the ban, widows continued to face social stigma. Denied remarriage, often isolated, and even deemed inauspicious, they endured emotional trauma and societal neglect. Although rich widows fared better, many suffered in silence.

Bentinck’s reforms left a lasting legacy. His courage in confronting social injustice earned him the admiration of Indians who remain grateful for his humane contribution.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-

65311042https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_William_Benti