Ishvara Chandra Shastri Vidyasagar and Johan Van Manen

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891), born Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, was a towering figure of the Bengal Renaissance, recognized as an Indian educator, social reformer, and Sanskrit pundit. He was instrumental in reforming the Bengali alphabet, authoring numerous textbooks, and spearheading campaigns for Hindu widow remarriage and women's education, earning the title 'Vidyasagar' (ocean of learning). Johan van Manen (1877–1943) was a Dutch orientalist, Tibetologist, and a significant figure in the early Theosophical Society, known for his linguistic prowess, extensive manuscript collections, and scholarly contributions to Tibetan and South Asian studies, including serving as General Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Together, Ishvara Chandra Shastri Vidyasagar and Johan Van Manen co-edited चाणक्य-राजनीति-शास्त्रम् (Canakya-Rajaniti Sastram), an old and rare book presenting Chanakya's treatise on statecraft.