Dr. Nightingale of India.

A doctor (Dr.), a missus, a daughter, a rebel - all these honorofics take us to the birth of the first woman to achieve the label of a graduate in the course of medical science in India.

The rebel in her young age. Image Source: indiatoday.in

Doctors and Nurses- two designations which has been neutral by birth, but was assigned the tags of ‘only for men’ and ‘only for women’ respectively, arrowing the perceptions of the public. Though Nightingale devoted herself to the service of those bruised, our country and Bengal was blessed with a daughter who wore a brooch of “Dr.” right in front of her name. The first woman to acquire a degree, the first Indian woman to acquire a degree to practice in the medical field, our maiden in honour, Dr. Kadambini Ganguly; lionizing her achievements here today.

Kadambini was a child of Bengali Renaissance, as she was born in 1861; the century marked by an amalgamation of reforms in various fields- educational, social, religious, and political. She belonged to the ancestry of Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency (present day Bangladesh). Braja Kishore Basu was her father, who is particularly known for the movements aiming for the unshackling of the women from the societal immorality in Bhagalpur. He and his compatriot, Abhay Charan Mallick formed Bhagalpur Mahila Samiti, raising the issue of the liberation of women, in 1863. As the headmaster of the Bhagalpur School and a progressive Brahmo revolutionary, he encouraged Kadambini’s schooling. From the time devilry had choked their prerogative sunshine, Kadambini finished her secondary education from Hindu Mahila Vidyalaya, and Banga Mahila Vidyalaya in 1876. Banga Mahila Vidyalaya was India’s first college for women, later merging with Bethune College. Kadambini aced the college entrance exams, held by Calcutta University. She graduated with a degree in Fine Arts (F A), becoming one of the two women to accomplish a first class and two female graduates in India, apportioning the fame with Chandramukhi Basu.

In 1883, just after her graduation, she was married to Dwarkanath Ganguly, her educator at Bethune College. Dwarkanth Ganguly was a reflection of her father’s pioneer as a Brahmo reformer. Dwarkanath and Kadambini’s relationship was best expressed in the words of David Kopf, “most unusual in being founded on mutual love, sensitivity and intelligence” Dwarakanath never let the household chores grasp Kadambini’s aspiration in the medical field. Both of them battled the restrictions of Calcutta Medical College on the participation of women in their subjects, and Kadambini secured the badge of the first female student studying there. Even after coming by the harsh, discriminatory behavior from the faculty, she emanated as the Graduate of Bengal Medical College Degree, and became the first female doctor being educated in India.

The news spread like a wildfire all over the world, which even made Florence Nightingale wonder about Kadambini. Her integrity as a medical practitioner was soon denounced by an orthodox Hindu news publisher, questioning her doctoral qualifications. An invincible spirit like hers, hauled the concern to the courtroom and the publisher was sentenced to jail for six months after a fight filled with drudgery. Kadambini plumped for a level at which no critic would look at her with those vicious eyes of a vulture. In 1892, she went to study in Britain and bagged three more doctoral certifications. After her return in the country, she took the job of a gynecologist at Lady Dufferin Hospital.

Today, when most of the women sacrifice their careers for family and children, or think of having children as a red flag to their flourishing career, the mother of eight- Kadambini balanced her life and work, with the additional responsibility of contributing to the women’s movements. One of the finest examples of feminism, her 160th birth anniversary was celebrated by Google with a doodle on July 18, 2021.

The 'better-half' in its truest sense. Image Source: Get Bengal.