Who among the following was a force behind declaring Sati illegal?

Correct option is B

The Correct Answer is: (b) Lord William Bentinck

Explanation:
Lord William Bentinck, the Governor-General of India from 1828 to 1835, was the key British official responsible for banning the practice of Sati. With strong support from Indian social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Bentinck passed Regulation XVII of 1829, which officially declared Sati illegal and punishable by law in the Bengal Presidency. This marked one of the earliest legislative reforms introduced by the British colonial administration for social change in India.

Information Booster:
• Sati was a custom where a widow was immolated on her husband’s funeral pyre.
• Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned vigorously against Sati through petitions and writings.
• Regulation XVII of 1829 made Sati a criminal offence equivalent to culpable homicide.
• The law initially applied to the Bengal Presidency, and later extended to other parts of British India.
• Lord Bentinck’s decision faced opposition from conservative Hindu groups, but it was a landmark reform.
• This reform showed early signs of British liberal influence under the utilitarian philosophy of governance.

Additional Information:
• Lord Dalhousie –  Known for the Doctrine of Lapse and modernization reforms, but not linked with banning Sati.
• Lord Canning –  Governor-General during the Revolt of 1857, not involved in Sati reform.
•  Lord Rippon –  Known for local self-government reforms and Ilbert Bill, not Sati abolition.