In 1867, Keshab Chandra Sen helped Atmaram Pandurang found the Prarthana Samaj in Bombay.
They mainly worked on disapproval of caste system, women’s education and widow remarriage.
M.G. Ranade joined the samaj in 1870. His efforts made the samaj gain an all-India character.
The samaj was more concerned with social reforms than with religion.
The Prarthana Samaj differed from its Calcutta counterpart (such as Brahmo Samaj) by its greater reluctance to break with orthodox Hindu tradition, and the Prarthana never required members to give up caste, idol worship, or the traditional religious sacraments.
