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Kadambini Ganguly
Context:
101st Death Anniversary of Kadambini Ganguly.
About:
- Kadambini Ganguly was born on 18 July 1861 in Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency (now part of modern-day Bihar).
- She is celebrated as the first female medical doctor in India and South Asia.
- The daughter of Brahmo reformer Braja Kishore Basu, she grew up in an environment that promoted education and social reform.
Contributions:
- Medical Pioneer: Kadambini was the first woman to gain admission to Calcutta Medical College in 1884, graduating in 1886.
- She became the first practising female doctor in India after Anandibai Joshi’s death shortly after her graduation.
- Her medical career challenged societal norms and opened doors for women in a field predominantly occupied by men at the time.
- Advocate for Women’s Rights: Kadambini was a passionate advocate for women’s education and empowerment. Alongside her husband, Dwarkanath Ganguly, she established schools for girls, promoting female education in a society that largely excluded women from academic pursuits.
- She understood that an independent India could not thrive if half its population remained uneducated and disempowered.
- Political Engagement: Kadambini played an active role in the Indian National Congress, becoming the first woman speaker at its session in 1889.
- She advocated for women’s participation in the freedom struggle and worked to raise political consciousness among women. Her efforts contributed to the passing of the Age of Consent Act in 1891, which aimed to protect young girls from early marriage and sexual exploitation.
- Support for Labour Rights: She was deeply concerned about the plight of female coal miners in Eastern India and worked tirelessly to improve their working conditions. This advocacy not only addressed social injustices but also weakened colonial economic structures that exploited labour.
- Leadership in Social Movements: Kadambini organised significant events such as the Women’s Conference in Calcutta following the Partition of Bengal in 1906. She also supported Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha movement and mobilised resources to assist workers during this period.