Anandibai Joshi – First women doctor from India
Born in 1865 and married off at the age of 9, Anandibai Joshi overcame repression and stigma at a time when women’s education was deemed irrelevant by the patriarchal society. Her husband encouraged her to study medicine. In 1880 he sent a letter to Royal Wilder, a well-known American missionary, stating his wife’s interest in studying medicine in the United States and inquiring about a suitable post in the US for himself. She not only fought for her dreams but also managed to train herself in western medicine, becoming the only female physician from South Asia at the time. With the help of a liberal husband, Anandibai opened the gates for Indian women who wanted to be more than just housewives.
