Meet woman who was denied college admission but became India's first lady doctor, mother of 8 fought legal battle for...
She also became the first woman to graduate in India when she received BA from the University of Calcutta in 1883.
Before India's independence, there were limited options for education, especially for women. Many in the conservative society opposed women’s education. However, despite all these, Kadambini Ganguly became India's first lady doctor. Ganguly was also the first woman to get admission to Calcutta Medical College in 1884. Kadambini also trained in Edinburgh (Scotland) and later established a successful medical practice in India.
She was born in 1862 to an upper-caste Bengali community that opposed women’s education. However, Ganguly fought against all odds to overcome that. The Indian genius made a space for herself in the medical field. Back then, men mostly dominated it even in countries like the US and UK. She received BA from the University of Calcutta in 1883 and became the first woman to graduate in India.
She went to the University of Edinburgh in 1893 and received an LRCP qualification which enabled her to practise medicine. After her return from Britain, she began to practice obstetrics and gynaecology in Lady Dufferin Hospital in Calcutta. She also actively campaigned for women’s rights.
Kadambini Bose married Dwarakanath Ganguly, 11 days before joining Calcutta Medical College. Ganguly decided to continue her education even after her marriage and received a lot of backlash for her decision. She was a mother of eight children and had to devote considerable time to her household affairs.
Her profession demanded visiting patients at night and she attracted criticism from many corners. Even one popular regional newspaper called her a whore. But she and her husband fought a legal battle against it and won. They got compensation and got the editor jailed for six months.