Anandi Gopal Joshi Biography
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Name:
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Anandi Gopal Joshi
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Born:
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March 31, 1865
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Died:
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February 26, 1887
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Born / Home Town:
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Pune
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Profession:
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Physician
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Spouse:
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Gopalrao Joshi
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Anandibai Gopalrao Joshi (31 March 1865 – 26 February 1887) was one of the earliest Indian female physicians. She was the first woman from the erstwhile Bombay presidency of the Indian subcontinent to study and graduate with a two-year degree in western medicine in the United States. There are many variations of her name, including Anandibai Joshi and Anandi Gopal Joshi where Gopal came from Gopalrao which is her husband's first name.
Early life
Originally named 'Yamuna', Joshi was born on the west coast of the subcontinent in Kurla (Maharashtra), where her family had previously been landlords before experiencing financial losses. As was the practice at that time and due to pressure from her mother, Anandi was married at the age of nine to Gopalrao Joshi, a widower almost twenty years older than her.
After marriage, Yamuna's husband renamed her 'Anandi'. Gopalrao Joshi worked as a postal clerk in Kalyan. Later, he was transferred to Alibag, and then, finally, to Kolkata (Calcutta). He was a progressive thinker, and, unusually for that time, supported education for women.
At the age of fourteen, Anandibai gave birth to a boy, but the child lived only for ten days for lack of medical care. This proved to be a turning point in Anandi's life and inspired her to become a physician.
Academic life
Gopalrao encouraged Anandibai to study medicine. In 1880 he sent a letter to Royal Wilder, a well-known American missionary, stating Anandibai's interest in studying medicine in the United States, and inquiring about a suitable post in the US for himself.
Wilder published the correspondence in his Princeton's Missionary Review. Theodicia Carpenter, a resident of Roselle, New Jersey, happened to read it while waiting to see her dentist. Impressed by both Anandibai's desire to study medicine, and Gopalrao's support for his wife, she wrote to them offering Anandibai accommodation in America.
While the Joshi couple was in Calcutta, Anandibai's health was declining. She suffered from weakness, constant headaches, occasional fever, and sometimes breathlessness. Theodicia sent her medicines from America, without results. In 1883, Gopalrao was transferred to Serampore, and he decided to send Anandibai by herself to America for her medical studies despite her poor health. Though apprehensive, Gopalrao convinced her to set an example for other women by pursuing higher education.
A physician couple named Thorburn suggested that Anandibai applies to the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. On learning of Anandibai's plans to pursue higher education in the West, orthodox Indian society censured her very strongly.
Anandibai addressed the community at Serampore College Hall, explaining her decision to go to America and obtain a medical degree. She discussed the persecution she and her husband had endured. She stressed the need for female doctors in India and talked about her goal of opening a medical college for women in India (Anandibai medical college). Her speech received publicity, and financial contributions started pouring in from all over India.
In the USA
Anandibai traveled to New York from Kolkata (Calcutta) by ship, chaperoned by two female English acquaintances of the Thorburn. In New York, Theodicia Carpenter received her in June 1883. Anandibai wrote to the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania, asking to be admitted to their medical program, which was the second women's medical program in the world. Rachel Bodley, the dean of the college, enrolled her.
Anandibai began her medical training at age 19. In America, her health worsened because of the cold weather and unfamiliar diet. She contracted tuberculosis. Nevertheless, she graduated with an MD on 11 March 1885; the topic of her thesis was "Obstetrics among the Aryan Hindus". On her graduation, Queen Victoria sent her a congratulatory message.
Return to India
In late 1886, Anandibai returned to India, receiving a grand welcome. The princely state of Kolhapur appointed her as the physician-in-charge of the female ward of the local Albert Edward Hospital.
Anandibai died of tuberculosis early the next year on 26 February 1887 before turning 22. Her death was mourned throughout India. Her ashes were sent to Theodicia Carpenter, who placed them in her family cemetery in Poughkeepsie, New York.
In popular culture
In 1888, American feminist writer Caroline Wells Healey Dall wrote Joshi's biography.
Doordarshan, an Indian public service broadcaster aired a Hindi series based on her life, called "Anandi Gopal" and directed by Kamlakar Sarang. Shrikrishna Janardan Joshi wrote a fictionalized account of her life in his Marathi novel Anandi Gopal, which was adapted into a play of the same name by Ram G. Joglekar.
Dr. Anjali Kirtane has extensively researched the life of Dr. Anandibai Joshi and has written a Marathi book entitled "डॉ. आनंदीबाई जोशी काळ आणि कर्तृत्व" ("Dr. Anandibai Joshi, Kaal ani Kartutva: Dr. Anandibai Joshi, her times and accomplishments") which contains rare photographs of Dr. Anandibai Joshi.
Legacy
- The Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS), a non-governmental organization from Lucknow, has been awarding the Anandibai Joshi Award for Medicine in honor of her early contributions to the cause of advancing medical science in India.
- In addition, the Government of Maharashtra has established a fellowship in her name for young women working on women’s health.
- On March 31st, 2018, Google honored her with a Google Doodle to mark her 153rd birth anniversary.
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