Anandi Gopal Joshi
Encyclopedia
Anandi Gopal Joshi A (Marathi
: आनंदी गोपाळ जोशी/आनंदीबाई जोशी)(March 31, 1865 - February 26, 1887) was one of the two first India
n women to obtain a medical degree through training in Western
medicine
. (Kadambini Ganguly
earned a medical degree the same year, 1886, as Anandibai.) She was also the first Hindu
woman to do so.
family. At her age 9, she was married by her family to Gopalrao Joshi, who was a widower and almost twenty years her senior. After the marriage, the husband renamed Yamuna as Anandi.
Gopalrao worked as a postal clerk in Kalyan
. Later, he was transferred to Alibag
, and finally to Calcutta. He was a progressive thinker, and supported the education of women, which was not very prevalent in India in his times.
It was common for Brahmins in those times to be proficient in Sanskrit
; however, through influence on Gopalrao's mind of Lokhitawadi
's Shat Patre, he had regarded learning English
well to be more important than Sanskrit. Noticing Anandibai's interest in acquiring education, he helped her receive education and learn English.
At age of 14, Anandibai gave birth to a boy. But the child survived only ten days because of nonavailability of needed medical care. This situation proved a turning point in Anandibai's life, and inspired her to become a physician.
. This proposition, however, was not acceptable to the Joshi couple.
Wilder published the correspondence in his publication, Princeton's Missionary Review. Theodicia Carpenter, a resident of Roselle, New Jersey
, happened to read it while waiting to see her dentist. Anandibai's desire to learn medicine and Gopalrao's support for his wife impressed her, and she wrote to them, offering Anandibai accommodation in America. An exchange of many letters between Anandibai and Theodicia ensued, in which they discussed, among other things, Hindu
culture and religion.
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 at that time, he decided to send Anandibai by herself to America for her medical studies despite her poor health. She was apprehensive, but Gopalrao convinced her to set an example for other women by pursuing high education.
A physician couple named Thorborn suggested to Anandibai to apply to the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania
. On learning of Anandibai's plans to pursue high education in a Western country, the then orthodox Hindu
society very strongly censured her. Many Christians supported her decision, but they wanted her to convert to Christianity.
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 Hindu female doctors in India, and talked about her goal of opening a medical college for women in India. She also pledged that she would not convert to Christianity. Her speech received publicity, and financial contributions started coming in from all over India. The then Viceroy of India contributed 200 rupee
s to a fund for her education.
from Calcutta by ship, chaperoned by two English
female acquaintances of the Thorborns. In New York
, Theodicia Carpenter received her in June 1883. Anandibai wrote to the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, asking to be admitted to their medical program, (which was the first women's medical program in the world). Rachel Bodley
, the dean of the college, enrolled her.
Anandibai began her medical education at age 19. In America, her declining health worsened because of the cold weather and unfamiliar diet. She contracted tuberculosis
. Nevertheless, she graduated with an M.D.
on March 11, 1886, the topic of her thesis having been "Obstetrics among the Aryan Hindoos". On her graduation, Queen Victoria sent her a congratulatory message.
The princely state
of Kolhapur appointed her as the physician-in-charge of the female ward of the local Albert Edward Hospital.
.
wrote Anandibai's biography in 1888.
Doordarshan
aired a Hindi
serial named "Anandi Gopal" based on Anandibai's life. (Kamlakar Sarang directed the serial.)
Shrikrishna Janardan Joshi wrote a fictionalized account of Anandabai 's life in his Marathi
novel Anandi Gopal. (The novel has been translated in an abridged form in English by Asha Damle.) It has also been adapted into a play of the same name by Ram G. Joglekar.
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
: आनंदी गोपाळ जोशी/आनंदीबाई जोशी)(March 31, 1865 - February 26, 1887) was one of the two first India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n women to obtain a medical degree through training in Western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. (Kadambini Ganguly
Kadambini Ganguly
Kadambini Ganguly was one of the first female graduates of the British Empire along with Chandramukhi Basu. She was one of the first female physicians of South Asia to be trained in European medicine.-Early life:...
earned a medical degree the same year, 1886, as Anandibai.) She was also the first Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
woman to do so.
Early life
Anandibai was born as Yamuna in Pune ( Maharashtra ) in an orthodox wealthy BrahminBrahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
family. At her age 9, she was married by her family to Gopalrao Joshi, who was a widower and almost twenty years her senior. After the marriage, the husband renamed Yamuna as Anandi.
Gopalrao worked as a postal clerk in Kalyan
Kalyan
Kalyan is a city in Thane district of Maharashtra, and a major railway station lying at the junction of the north-east and south-east lines of the suburban Mumbai division of the Central Railway, 53 km north-east of Mumbai. Kalyan is also a major Taluka place, a tehsil of the Thane district...
. Later, he was transferred to Alibag
Alibag
Alibag or Alibaug or Alibagh is a coastal town and a municipal council in Raigad District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is also the headquarters of the Raigad district. The town and its surrounding villages are the historic hinterland of Bene Israeli Jews...
, and finally to Calcutta. He was a progressive thinker, and supported the education of women, which was not very prevalent in India in his times.
It was common for Brahmins in those times to be proficient in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
; however, through influence on Gopalrao's mind of Lokhitawadi
Gopal Hari Deshmukh
Gopal Hari Deshmukh was a social reformer from Maharashtra, India.-Career:Deshmukh started his career as a translator for the government then under British Raj. In 1867, the government appointed him a small cause judge in Ahmedabad, Gujarat...
's Shat Patre, he had regarded learning English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
well to be more important than Sanskrit. Noticing Anandibai's interest in acquiring education, he helped her receive education and learn English.
At age of 14, Anandibai gave birth to a boy. But the child survived only ten days because of nonavailability of needed medical care. This situation proved a turning point in Anandibai's life, and inspired her to become a physician.
Towards a medical career
Gopalrao encouraged his wife 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 U.S. for himself. Wilder offered to help if the couple would convert to ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. This proposition, however, was not acceptable to the Joshi couple.
Wilder published the correspondence in his publication, Princeton's Missionary Review. Theodicia Carpenter, a resident of Roselle, New Jersey
Roselle, New Jersey
Roselle is a Borough located in Union County in the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 21,085....
, happened to read it while waiting to see her dentist. Anandibai's desire to learn medicine and Gopalrao's support for his wife impressed her, and she wrote to them, offering Anandibai accommodation in America. An exchange of many letters between Anandibai and Theodicia ensued, in which they discussed, among other things, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
culture and religion.
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
Serampore
Serampore is a city and a municipality in Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority. It is a pre-colonial town on the right bank of the Hoogli River...
, and at that time, he decided to send Anandibai by herself to America for her medical studies despite her poor health. She was apprehensive, but Gopalrao convinced her to set an example for other women by pursuing high education.
A physician couple named Thorborn suggested to Anandibai to apply to the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania
Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University. The medical school has the nation's largest enrollment for a private medical school, and represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the nation's first medical school for women and the first U.S. college of...
. On learning of Anandibai's plans to pursue high education in a Western country, the then orthodox Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
society very strongly censured her. Many Christians supported her decision, but they wanted her to convert to Christianity.
Anandibai addressed the community at Serampore College
Serampore College
Serampore College is located in Serampore Town, in Hooghly District, West Bengal, India.The college consists of two entities:*The theological faculty*A separate college with faculties of arts, science, commerce...
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 Hindu female doctors in India, and talked about her goal of opening a medical college for women in India. She also pledged that she would not convert to Christianity. Her speech received publicity, and financial contributions started coming in from all over India. The then Viceroy of India contributed 200 rupee
Rupee
The rupee is the common name for the monetary unit of account in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, and formerly in Burma, and Afghanistan. Historically, the first currency called "rupee" was introduced in the 16th century...
s to a fund for her education.
In America
Anandibai traveled to New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from Calcutta by ship, chaperoned by two English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
female acquaintances of the Thorborns. In New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Theodicia Carpenter received her in June 1883. Anandibai wrote to the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, asking to be admitted to their medical program, (which was the first women's medical program in the world). Rachel Bodley
Rachel Bodley
Rachel Littler Bodley was dean of the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania from 1874-1888.Bodley was the eldest daughter of a Presbyterian carpenter and teacher and attended the school run by her mother. In 1884 she attended the Wesleyan Female College of Cincinnati and graduated at age 17 in...
, the dean of the college, enrolled her.
Anandibai began her medical education at age 19. In America, her declining health worsened because of the cold weather and unfamiliar diet. She contracted tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. Nevertheless, she graduated with an M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
on March 11, 1886, the topic of her thesis having been "Obstetrics among the Aryan Hindoos". On her graduation, Queen Victoria sent her a congratulatory message.
Return to India
In late 1886, Anandibai return to India, receiving a hero's welcome.The princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
of Kolhapur appointed her as the physician-in-charge of the female ward of the local Albert Edward Hospital.
Death
Anandibai died early next year on February 26, 1887 before reaching age 22. Her death was mourned throughout India. Her ashes were sent to Theodicia Carpenter, who placed them in her family cemetery in Poughkeepsie, New YorkPoughkeepsie (town), New York
Poughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
.
Biography
Caroline Wells Healey DallCaroline Healey Dall
Caroline Wells Healey Dall was an American feminist writer, transcendentalist and reformer. She was affiliated with the National Women's Rights Convention, the New England Women's Club, and the American Social Science Association...
wrote Anandibai's biography in 1888.
Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
aired a Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
serial named "Anandi Gopal" based on Anandibai's life. (Kamlakar Sarang directed the serial.)
Shrikrishna Janardan Joshi wrote a fictionalized account of Anandabai 's life in his Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
novel Anandi Gopal. (The novel has been translated in an abridged form in English by Asha Damle.) It has also been adapted into a play of the same name by Ram G. Joglekar.