Describing 19th Century Evangelist Rev Krishnamohan Banerjee as the pioneer of socio economic reforms, President Pranab Mukherjee today said he was the intellectual guide of young Bengalis during his time.
"He was a great son of India. He was a pioneer of socio economic transformation in India and the harbinger of the Renaissance movement," Mukherjee said here.
Banerjee was a member of the 'Young Bengal' group, an association of radical Bengali students, formed by Hindu College (now Presidency University) teacher Henry Louis Vivian Derozio.
The President was speaking at the launch of a commemorative volume on Banerjee to mark his 200th birth anniversary by the Indian Association.
Mukherjee said the Indian Association was one of the organisations which had laid the foundation of the Indian National Congress.
"The establishment of the Indian Association was needed as an association for politically minded people especially the middle class," he said.
