Abstract

The history of India is deeply intertwined with the evolution of social reform movements that emerged across different centuries to challenge discriminatory traditions oppressive social structures exploitative hierarchies and deep-rooted inequalities. These movements collectively sought to reconstruct Indian society through ethical cultural religious and political transformations. The relevance of social reform movements continues in contemporary India where issues related to caste gender labour education health economic disparity and human rights persist in various forms. This research paper analyses the trajectory of major social reform movements in India beginning from ancient reformist traditions to medieval Bhakti-Sufi movements followed by the 19th-century renaissance early 20th-century national reform movements and post-Independence social justice campaigns. The paper highlights how reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy Swami Vivekananda Jyotiba Phule Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Periyar E. V