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    Evolution of Social Work in India

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    Anil Menz
    The document summarizes the evolution of social work in India from ancient to modern times. It discusses how social welfare originated in ancient scriptures through charity and was further developed during the Buddhist period through guilds and rulers like Ashoka and Kanishka. During the medieval period, some rulers introduced reforms while prominent reformers in the modern period worked to abolish evils like sati and promote education and women's rights. Formal social work training began in the 1930s and numerous organizations have contributed to the development of the field in India.

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    Evolution of Social Work in India

    Uploaded by

    Anil Menz
    6K views4 pages
    The document summarizes the evolution of social work in India from ancient to modern times. It discusses how social welfare originated in ancient scriptures through charity and was further developed during the Buddhist period through guilds and rulers like Ashoka and Kanishka. During the medieval period, some rulers introduced reforms while prominent reformers in the modern period worked to abolish evils like sati and promote education and women's rights. Formal social work training began in the 1930s and numerous organizations have contributed to the development of the field in India.

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    Historical development of social work in india.

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    The document summarizes the evolution of social work in India from ancient to modern times. It discusses how social welfare originated in ancient scriptures through charity and was further developed during the Buddhist period through guilds and rulers like Ashoka and Kanishka. During the medieval period, some rulers introduced reforms while prominent reformers in the modern period worked to abolish evils like sati and promote education and women's rights. Formal social work training began in the 1930s and numerous organizations have contributed to the development of the field in India.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    6K views4 pages

    Evolution of Social Work in India

    Uploaded by

    Anil Menz
    The document summarizes the evolution of social work in India from ancient to modern times. It discusses how social welfare originated in ancient scriptures through charity and was further developed during the Buddhist period through guilds and rulers like Ashoka and Kanishka. During the medieval period, some rulers introduced reforms while prominent reformers in the modern period worked to abolish evils like sati and promote education and women's rights. Formal social work training began in the 1930s and numerous organizations have contributed to the development of the field in India.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 4

    C.

    Evolution of Social Work in India


    The systematic development of social work in India may be grouped into
    different periods. a.

    a. Social Reforms in Ancient Period (2500 BC-AD 1200)


    In ancient India, the nature of social service was that of charity. The earliest
    reference to charity is to be found in the Rig Veda (Chap1 XIII, 2) which
    encourages charity by saying ''May the one who gives, shine the most".
    Upanishad prescribed that every house holder must practise charity. In ancient
    India social welfare activities were performed by Yagnas. Each one contributed
    his bit towards the Yagnas. The intention was the welfare of all. Yagnashalas
    were classrooms where men and women were taught the spirit of working
    together. Bhagavat Gita insists that the privileged class has a moral duty to
    serve the poor. Such persons who served the society with all their ability were
    free from all sins. But those who cooked for themselves or produced for their
    own gain were eating sin (Gita chap-3-13) According to Manu it was his duty to
    feed his guests first, then his servant, he and his wife might eat last of all.
    Charity became the instrument of virtue of the privileged sections and it was
    to be dispensed voluntarily. Later in the Vedic period dana became
    institutionalized and came to be associated with religious ideology. Danawas
    given to acquire punya (merit). Kaudilya highlights the duties of the king
    towards the welfare and happiness of his subjects, ''In the happiness of the
    subjects lies the king's happiness.'' The evolution of Buddhism influenced the
    character of the Indian society- from the tribal agricultural settlement to a
    class based agrarian economy. Buddhism laid great emphasis on punya and
    dana (charity). Guilds were important corporate organizations which
    performed a variety of economic and welfare functions during Buddhist
    period. Guilds provided social security to the oppressed class of the society.
    Bimbisara paid special attention to the development of roads and agriculture.
    Can you remember the welfare reforms of Ashoka the Great, learned in your
    history classes? What are they?
    Ashoka developed a comprehensive system of social welfare. He appointed a
    superintendent to look after the welfare of women. The welfare programmes
    were under the overall charge of High Commissioners of Charity (Dharma
    mahamathras). Many reforms were introduced in the field of women's
    welfare, rehabilitation of prisoners, rural development, free medical care,
    regulation of prostitution and provisions of public utilities like roads, wells, rest
    houses for travellers etc.

    Kanishka gave liberal donation and grant for the construction of Buddhist
    Viharas, monasteries, stupas etc. These were the centres of learning and help
    to the needy people. During the Gupta period some more welfare activities
    executed. Harsha Vardhana was an enlightened ruler who established
    hospitals, dispensaries, orphanages and homes for the destitutes.

    b. Social Reform in Medieval Period

    The duties of a King included the maintenance of peace, protection from


    external attack and to provide justice. Malik Ali, a noble of Balban, was more
    generous in giving alms. Giyas- Udheen Thuglak was charitable and King
    Muhammud Gavan spent all his wealth on the poor and led a simple life.
    Humayun was the first king who made a bold attempt to prohibitsati. Akbar
    was a great ruler who brought about many reforms in Indian society and
    abolished slavery in 1583. He maintained a policy of religious equality and
    granted full freedom to his subjects on religious matters. Aurangzeb looked
    after the welfare of his people and led a very simple life. c. Social Reform in
    Modern Period Identify these eminent reformers

    Rajaram Mohan Roy was the greatest Indian of the 19th century. He was the
    morning star of Indian renaissance who sowed the seeds of religious and social
    reforms. He used his power and influence towards the abolition ofsatiand he
    was in favour of widow remarriage and female education. Iswarchandra Vidya
    Sagar advocated widow remarriage, economic self-reliance, women’s
    education and prohibition of polygamy. It was with the joint effort of Mohan
    Roy and Vidyasagar that the Widow Remarriage Act was passed in 1856.
    Professor Bal Shasthri Jain Bhaker of Bombay fought against the evil customs
    like sati, female infanticide etc. and tried to frame laws to abolish these
    customs. Gopal Hari Desh Mukh of Bombay promoted modern education,
    established dispensaries, maternity homes, orphanages etc. Sasipade Banerjee
    was a notable reformer of Bengal who worked for the cause of women’s
    education and widow remarriage. He arranged several marriages of widows
    and gave shelter to widows at his residence. Sir Sayyid Ahmed Khan played a
    prominent role for the education of women and to wipe out social evils among
    the Muslims. Gandhiji became active in political as well as social fields in 1920.
    He symbolized the integration of political reform with social reform. He
    worked for the upliftment of women, dalits and fought for the equality
    between men and women. He emphasized the need for freedom from evils
    along with political independence. The contribution of Gandhiji like Sarvodaya,
    Andhyodaya, Non-violence struggle, Panchyathiraj are closely related with the
    philosophies of social work.

    Contributions of Organizations
    The important organizations like Brahma Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Arya Samaj,
    Theosophical Society, Ramakrishna Mission, Muhammedan Anglo Oriental
    Society, etc. played significant role in the development of social work. Brahma
    Samaj was founded by Rajaram Mohan Roy and worked for the abolition of
    Sati, promotion of widow remarriage and for women’s welfare. Arya Samaj
    was founded by Swamy Dayananda Saraswathy in 1875. He opposed the caste
    system and child marriage. Muhammedan Anglo Oriental Society was founded
    by Sir Sayyid Ahammed Khan. Theosophical society was founded in 1881 in
    Madras by Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott. Ramakrishna Mission
    founded by Swami Vivekananda in1897 started its programmes with
    education, treatment and general help. Gopal Krishna Gokhale established the
    Servants of India Society for social service.

    Modern Social Work

    Modern social work was introduced in India by Christian Missionaries in the


    beginning of the 19 century. When they started making houses for orphans
    and destitutes, Indian social reformers like Sasipada Banerjee, Phule and Karve
    too started homes for the widows. Some social and religious associations like
    Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj and Ramakrishna Mission played significant roles
    in providing institutional welfare service in India.

    The formal training in social work was started in India in 1936 at Dhorabji Tata
    School of Social Work at Mumbai. Now it is a deemed university named Tata
    Institute of Social Sciences (TISS). In Kerala, the first school of social work
    training was started in 1954 at Sacred Heart College, Thevara, which later
    shifted to Rajagiri College of Social Science, Kalamassery. At present a number
    of universities and institutions are offering graduate, post graduate, M. Phil
    and Ph. D level training in social work. The introduction of social work at higher
    secondary level resulted in many changes in the field of social work training
    and practice in Kerala. In a developing country like India, social workers have a
    major role in the socio-economic, cultural, health and related areas. The major
    associations of social work are NAPSWI (National Association of Professional
    Social Workers in India), ASSK (Association of Schools of Social Work in Kerala),
    and KAPS (Kerala Association of Professional Social Work).

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