Swami Dayanand Saraswati: The Vedic Reformer and Architect of Modern Hinduism

Swami Dayanand Saraswati (1824–1883) was a profound 19th-century religious leader who initiated a radical reform movement by declaring a return to the Vedas as the sole, infallible source of truth (“Back to the Vedas”). He founded the Arya Samaj, which actively campaigned against social evils like idol worship, the caste system, child marriage, and the subordination of women, making him a central architect of modern, reformist Hinduism and a major contributor to Indian national awakening.