Henry Louis Vivian Derozio – Biography and Contributions

Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (1809-1831) was a poet, rationalist thinker, educator, journalist, and nationalist. He was the first Indian poet in English and was the first one to create a ‘public sphere’ in Calcutta through his poetry. He is known for giving birth to the Young Bengal Movement. Derozio was one of the first Indian educators to introduce and spread Western learning and science among the youth of Bengal. Despite living a short life, he contributed greatly to instilling rationalism and freethinking into a generation of Indian students and fought persistently to bring about change and progress in Indian society.

Early life and education

• Derozio was born on 18th April 1809 in today's Entally-Padmapukur area in Kolkata in an Anglo-Indi