India’s first woman Surgeon General fought for a place in science

India’s first female Surgeon General, Dr. Mary Poonen Lukose, emerged from a society that once deemed women unworthy of scientific pursuits. Born in Kottayam in 1886, Mary was an exceptional student, topping her matriculation exam before her home state denied her admission to science education due to her gender. Undeterred, Mary traveled to London, becoming the first woman from Travancore to graduate in medicine from the University of London in 1915.

After World War 1, she returned to Travancore to serve her people, becoming the nation's first woman doctor in 1916.

Dr. Lukose played a pivotal role in establishing the foundation of modern public health in Travancore, laying the groundwork for the contemporary Kerala model of health. Her contributions included the implementation of strong primary care, institutional childbirth, public health outreach, and social indicators. She also performed the state's first Caesarean section before 1920 and founded a tuberculosis sanatorium in Nagercoil, as well as the X-Ray and Radium Institute in Tiruvananthapuram.

In addition to her medical work, Mary advocated for women's political rights, becoming the first woman legislator in Travancore in 1922.

Honored with numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri in 1975, Mary Poonen Lukose left a lasting legacy in Indian healthcare, contributing to the progress made by other trailblazing women such as Muthulakshmi Reddy, Kadambini Ganguly, and Anandi Joshi.