Tributes pour in for Kadambini Ganguly India s first woman doctor on 160th birth anniversary

Kolkata, Jul 18 (PTI) Tributes poured in for
Kadambini Ganguly on Sunday as Google Doodle honoured the
countrys first woman doctor with a special graphic on her
160th birth anniversary.
The doodle, a portrait of Ganguly with the image of
the main building of Kolkata Medical College and Hospital in
the background, has been designed by Bengaluru-based artist
Oddrija, and it was widely shared across the country.
Politicians and common people from all walks of life
hailed Ganguly as a champion of womens rights in India.
Along with Anandi Joshi, Ganguly became the first
woman in colonial India to study medicine and earn a degree in
1886. While Joshi studied at Womans Medical College of
Pennsylvania in the US, Ganguly pursued western medicine at
Calcutta Medical College (CMC).
Born in a Brahmo family on July 18, 1861, Ganguly,
along with Chandramukhi Basu, became the first female
graduates in India, from Bethune College in Kolkata.
After her marriage with Brahmo reformer Dwarkanath
Ganguly, the couple battled CMCs prohibition on women
studying there, and Kadambini joined the medical college on
June 23, 1883 despite strong criticism from the colonial
society.
She was awarded the Graduate of Medical College of
Bengal (GMCB) degree in 1886, which even attracted the
attention of Florence Nightingale who enquired about Ganguly
from a friend in a letter in 1888. Ganguly later studied in
Britain.
A champion of womens rights, Ganguly was among the
six members of the first all-women delegation of the 1889
Indian National Congress.
After her husbands death in 1898, she practiced
medicine in Kolkata till her death in 1923.
Sharing her photograph, Congress tweeted: Today we
honour Kadambini Ganguly for inspiring generation of Indians
to aspire for greatness. She was not only one of the first
female graduates from India but also among the first women to
practice western medicine in all of South Asia.
Remembering #KadambiniGanguly ji on her birth
anniversary. In a male-dominated society, Kadambini Ganguly
fought all restrictions & prejudices to study medicine. She
actively campaigned for the emancipation of women and their
admission into academic institutions, National Commission for
Women chairperson Rekha Sharma said in a Twitter post.
Politicians cutting across party lines paid tributes
to Ganguly on the occasion.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot tweeted:
Tributes to #KadambiniGanguly, one of the first two female
physicians from India on her birth anniversary. She studied
medicine in 1883, trained in Scotland & established medical
practice in India. Her contribution to women emancipation
shall always be remembered.
Pay my humble tribute to #KadambiniGanguly, one of
the first two female graduates during British ruled India, and
the first female physician in India and South Asia. Her
struggle and fight in true sense, inspires Indian and Bengali
women, West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said in a Twitter
post. PTI ACD
JRC JRC

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)