Kadambini Ganguly: breaking barriers in medicine

Kadambini Ganguly and Anandibai Joshi are often overlooked in history and medical textbooks as the first female doctors from India. Kadambini was born in 1861 and defied her community's norms by receiving an education at Brahmo Eden Female School and Hindu Mahila Vidyalaya. As a child of a reformer advocating for women's emancipation, Kadambini pursued higher education and became the first woman to pass the University of Calcutta entrance examination in 1882.

She was also the first female graduate in the country along with Chandramukhi Basu, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Kadambini's passion for medicine led her to enroll at the Calcutta Medical College and receive the GBMC degree in 1886, despite a shortage of marks that prevented her from obtaining the BMC certificate.

She began practicing Western medicine in 1888, working at the Lady Dufferin Hospital for a salary of 300 rupees. Kadambini was not only a trailblazer in medicine but also an active political figure. In 1899, she was one of the first women delegates elected to the Congress session in Bombay and became the first woman speaker at the Congress the following year.

She also served as the president of the Transvaal Indian Association and was a member of the Women's Conference in Calcutta. Kadambini was married to Dwarakanath Ganguly, a Bengali Brahmo reformer, educator, journalist, and pioneer of women's rights. Together, they had eight children and broke societal stereotypes while devoting themselves to family and household affairs.

Dr. Kadambini Ganguly's achievements in medicine and her dedication to breaking barriers continue to inspire those who follow in her footsteps.