Anandibai Joshee

The first Indian woman physician, who broke societal barriers to advocate for women's healthcare in 19th century India

Anandibai Joshee (1865–1887), born in Kalyan, Maharashtra, India, was a pioneering figure in Indian medical history. Defying rigid caste and gender norms of her time, she became India's first female physician by earning a medical degree from the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania (now Drexel University College of Medicine) in 1886. Her journey began at age 14 when she married Gopalrao Joshee, a widowed postal clerk 20 years her senior. The death of her four-day-old son in 1878 due to lack of proper medical care deeply affected her, igniting her resolve to pursue medicine.

In 1883, she sent letters to American missionary societies seeking support for her education, a bold move that drew international attention. After completing her studies, she returned to India and worked at the Albert Edward Hospital in Kolhapur, advocating for women's access to healthcare. Her legacy is celebrated through the Anandibai Joshee Government Medical College in Pune and the Anandibai Joshee Scholarship for women in medicine. Her story is documented in books like Wikipedia's entry and the documentary The Trailblazer Doctor.