India's First Female Doctor Kadambini Ganguly Biography

Women's rights and education have always been the subject of controversy in the British Empire. This was the rule during the British rule that Indian women had to hide behind a veil. Education and career were like a nightmare for the helpless women of that time. However, the woman in this story broke all those stereotypes and made her debut with her head held high!

Kadambini Ganguly, an extraordinary woman, broke the boundaries of women's freedom and started many new things. Kadambini Ganguly was the first female graduate of the entire British Empire and she became the first female practitioner of Western medicine not only in India but in the whole of South Asia. She was also the first woman to be admitted to Calcutta Medical College.

Who was Kadambini Ganguly?

Kadambini Bose was born in Bhagalpur in 181, and spent her childhood in Changi, Barisal (now in Bangladesh). Kadambini's childhood was strongly influenced by the Bengal Renaissance.

First the Brahma Eden Women's School, and later the Hindu Women's School in Balyaganj, Calcutta. Her second school was called Banga Mahila Vidyalaya; Two years later, in 18, he was admitted to Bethune School.

Kadambini later sat for the entrance examination for Calcutta University and she was the first candidate from Bethune School who took the entrance examination for Calcutta University and passed the first examination in 18, making history by becoming the first female graduate. Kadambini was one of the first two female graduates in the entire British Empire, the other being Chandramukhi Basu. Kadambini later became interested in studying medicine.

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She worked tirelessly to make education more accessible to women in addition to her education. His father Braja Kishore Basu was a respected manna of the Brahmo Samaj. As a headmistress, she was interested in women's emancipation and founded the Bhagalpur Women's Committee in 183, the first women's organization in India.

It was at Bethune School that Kadambini met her future husband. His name was Dwarkanath Ganguly, he was 18 years older than Kadambini. Dwarkanath Ganguly was a strong supporter of Brahmo Samaj and women's liberation. Perhaps it was he who inspired Kadambini to study medicine.

The road to becoming a female doctor was not easy for her. Despite her qualifications, Calcutta Medical College refused to admit her, as there was no previous history of admission of Indian women.

At the same time, Dwarkanath Ganguly was also campaigning to ensure student accommodation and female admission in Calcutta Medical College. Finally, in 184, the couple admitted him to college after threatening to take legal action.

In 18 she became the first Bharati female physician and was allowed to serve patients. He earned his GBMC (Graduate of Bengal Medical College) degree, which allowed him to serve patients. Along with her another woman Anandi Gopal Jashi got this degree.

Kadambini was given a scholarship of Rs 20 per month for her medical studies. After graduation, however, she worked for a very short time at Lady Dufferin Women's Hospital (where her salary was 200 rupees a month) before deciding to move to London in 1892 for further education. Intense opposition from his colleagues and administrative staff is thought to be the possible reason behind this.

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Kadambini left her children with her older sister and moved to England in 1893, ignoring customs.
With incredible willpower, Dwarkanath's unwavering support and the help of one of his relatives in London, Barrister Manomohan Ghosh, Kadambini decided to take part in a Triple Diploma course in Medical Science at the Scottish College in Edinburgh.

Kadambini returned from London with a bachelor's degree in Licensing from the College of Physicians, Edinburgh (LRCP), College of Surgeons, Glasgow (LRCS), and the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons Dublin (LFPS). She was the only woman among the 14 successful candidates that year and the first Indian woman to achieve such a rare feat. She also specializes in pediatrics and gynecology.

After returning to India, he worked for a short time at Lady Dufferin Hospital and later began his personal practice.

Her role in social reform

In addition to being a doctor, Kadambini was a pioneer in several social movements. Although the Indian National Congress (INC) was founded in 185, women were not allowed to participate - Dwarkanath was vocal against the decision from the outset.

However, in 189, Kadambini and five other women were allowed to take part. When the country was partitioned in 1906, Kadambini organized a women's conference in Calcutta and presided over it in 1906. In the same year he publicly supported Satyagraha and organized people to raise funds to help the workers.

Kadambini had publicly spoken out against the medical college for not admitting female candidates to the 1915 medical conference. It was his speech that compelled the university authorities to amend their rules and open their doors to all female students.

Kadambini was suffering from high blood pressure but it never stopped her work. Dwarkanath's death in 1896 caused him to retire from public life, an event that also affected his health. But until a year before her death, she visited Bihar and Orissa to help women miners. He did not refuse any medical call until the day he died.

Kadambini was suffering from high blood pressure but it never stopped her work. Dwarkanath's death in 1896 caused him to retire from public life, an event that also affected his health. But until a year before her death, she visited Bihar and Orissa to help women miners. He did not refuse any medical call until the day he died.