The Bengal Renaissance - pg. 116

In 1840 Krishnamohan Banerjee in his prize-winning paper on
"Native Female Education" urged the prime necessity of liberally
imparting education to Indian women. Female education was
considered necessary for emancipating women from their enslavement
of ignorance and prejudices. He held that the true genius of the
country could not be liberated so long as its women folk would
suffer the tyranny of antiquated customs.