Who introduced the law that abolished the practice of Sati in British India in 1829?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Lord William Bentinck.
Lord William Bentinck, the Governor-General of India, formally abolished the practice of Sati on December 4, 1829, through the Sati Regulation Act. This landmark social reform was heavily influenced by the persistent efforts of Indian social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, who campaigned against the inhumanity of the practice. Initially, the law applied only to the Bengal Presidency but was later extended across British India. It declared the practice of burning or burying alive Hindu widows as a punishable criminal offense.
Other options:
-
Lord Dalhousie: Known for the 'Doctrine of Lapse' and introducing railways and telegraphs in India during the 1850s, but not for the abolition of Sati.
-
Lord Curzon: Served as Viceroy from 1899–1905 and is primarily remembered for the controversial Partition of Bengal in 1905.
-
Lord Canning: The first Viceroy of India who oversaw the transition from East India Company to Crown rule after the Revolt of 1857.