300+ Words Biography of Anandibai Joshi
Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi was the first Indian female doctor of Western medicine. She was born on March 31, 1865, in Kalyan, Maharashtra, India. She was the first woman from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency to study and graduate with a degree in Western medicine in the United States. Her journey, marked by resilience and groundbreaking achievements, symbolizes the struggle and triumph of women in 19th-century India.
Early Life and Marriage
Anandibai hailed from a Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin family. At the tender age of nine, she was married to Gopalrao Joshi, a widower nearly twenty years her senior. Her husband, a progressive thinker, supported education for women, and after marriage, he renamed her ‘Anandi.’
Turning Point
In 1883, Anandibai faced the death of her first child, a loss that significantly influenced her resolve to become a physician. She was deeply affected by the lack of medical care available for women in India. This personal tragedy fueled her ambition to improve healthcare for women and children.
Academic Pursuits
Anandibai’s husband encouraged her to pursue medical studies in the United States. In 1880, he sent a letter to Royal Wilder, a well-known American missionary, expressing his wife’s interest in inquiring about a suitable position in the United States for herself. Theodicia Carpenter, a New Jersey resident, read the correspondence and became Anandibai’s mentor and friend.
List of 500+ Essay Writing Topics and Ideas
Anandibai travelled to New York from Kolkata by ship, chaperoned by two female English missionary acquaintances of the Thorborns. In New York, Theodicia Carpenter received her in June 1883. Arriving in Philadelphia, Anandibai enrolled at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, an institution dedicated to training women in medicine. Her perseverance was remarkable, and she excelled in her studies, showcasing her dedication and intellect.
Studying Abroad
Anandibai addressed the community, explaining her decision to pursue a medical degree in America. She emphasized the need for female doctors in India, especially Hindu women serving other Hindu women. In 1886, she graduated from the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. The topic of her thesis was ‘Obstetrics among the Aryan Hindus.’ The thesis utilized references from both Ayurvedic texts and American medical textbooks, making her the first high-caste Hindu woman to earn a medical degree.
In 1886, Anandibai returned to India and received a grand welcome. The princely state of Kolhapur appointed her as the physician-in-charge of the female ward at the Albert Edward Hospital. Anandibai died of tuberculosis on February 26, 1887, in Pune.
Legacy and Inspiration
Anandibai’s achievement inspired countless women to follow in her footsteps. Her legacy remains a beacon of courage, resilience, and determination. In 1888, American feminist writer Caroline Wells Healey Dall wrote a biography of Joshi. Anandibai Joshi’s remarkable pursuit of education and her groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire generations.