Anandi Gopal Joshi and Kadambini Ganguly
Profession: Doctors
Claim to fame: First women
doctors qualified to practise western
medicine
At a time when child marriage was common and patriarchy the norm, here were two women determined to follow their heart. Anandi Gopal, who is also believed to be the first Hindu woman to set foot in the U.S., got her degree in medicine from the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (now known as Drexel University College of Medicine) in 1886 when she was just 19. In the same year, Kadambini Ganguly graduated from the Bengal Medical College and went to Europe to earn three advanced degrees in medicine and surgery to become the leading woman practitioner of Hippocratic medicine. Interestingly, both women were supported by their husbands who went against the social norms to help their wives step out of home to study.
Gulabi Gang
Profession: Activists
Claim to fame: Taking on oppressive
patriarchal systems and empowering women
Gulabi Gang is a women’s movement formed in 2006 by Sampat Pal Devi in the Banda District of Uttar Pradesh, a region marked by a deeply patriarchal culture and rigid social norms. According to its website, Gulabi Gang was initially intended to punish oppressive husbands, fathers and brothers, and combat domestic violence and desertion. The more serious offenders were publicly shamed when they refused to listen or relent. If the men used force, the Gulabi Gang resorted to lathis . The group also fights for equal socio-economic, cultural and political opportunities for women. They are called so because the members wear bright pink saris and wield bamboo sticks.
Mira Nair
Profession: Filmmaker
Claim to fame: Showcasing Indian stories to the world
Delhi-born Mira Nair burst into world cinema with her debut full-length feature film Salaam Bombay in 1988 that narrates the story of two street children who survive the Mumbai slums with grit and hope. It received a nomination at the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won the Golden Camera award at the Cannes Film Festival. From then on, Nair who is based in New York, has made several films set in contemporary India in a contemporary social milieu. In 2012, she was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award.
Leila Seth
Profession: Lawyer
Claim to fame: First woman judge of the
Delhi High Court and the first woman to become Chief Justice of a state High Court
Besides several ‘firsts’ to her credit, Leila Seth’s contribution to the Indian social and legal system is immense. She became the first woman judge of the Delhi High Court in 1978 and in 1991 she was appointed the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh, thus becoming the first woman Chief Justice of a state High Court. Seth was also the first woman to top the London Bar exams in 1958. Post-retirement, she served on the Law Commission of India till 2000 and was responsible for the amendments to the Hindu Succession Act which gave equal rights to daughters in joint family property. She was a part of the three-member Justice Verma Committee which gave its recommendations to amend the Criminal Law to provide speedy justice in cases of aggravated sexual assault.
ISRO’s Superstars
Profession: Scientists
Claim to fame: Planning and execution of successful space missions in a predominantly male-bastion
During the launch of Mangalyaan mission to Mars last year, pictures of women dressed in their finest silk saris cheering the success of the mission were splashed across the front pages of newspapers. This drew the world’s attention to the small but powerful women workforce who were at the core of India’s Mars mission heading labs and running mission control centres to transporting space launch vehicles. In fact, the project director, the mission director and the operations director of the GSAT-12 satellite launch in 2011 were all women, as reported by India Today.
They made a mark
Bachendri Pal
Profession: Mountaineer
Claim to fame: First Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
Kalpana Chawla
Profession: Astronaut
Claim to fame: The first Indian woman and the first Indian-American astronaut in space.
Capt Divya Ajith Kumar
Profession: Army personnel
Claim to fame: First woman in the history of the Indian Army to receive the coveted “Sword of Honour” prize
