Imagine that you lived during the 1800s, where arranged marriages between children and adults still occurred. What would you do if you were married at the age of nine to a man 20 years older than you, and at 14 you had your 10 day old baby die due to poor health care? For Anandibai Gopalrao Joshee (Anandibai Joshi), she decided to become a doctor so that she could help improve medical practices, and make them safer for people.
Joshee, originally named Yamuna, was a high caste Brahmin born 31st March, 1865 in Boona, Bombay (now Mumbai). When she was nine, she was married to a man about 20 years older than her. He was progressive for the time as he wanted his wife to obtain an education. He tutored her in many subjects like mathematics and English.
When Joshee was 13 or 14, she gave birth to her only child, a baby boy. He passed away at 10 days old since medical care in India, as in many parts of the world, was poor. She believed he would have survived if there was better health care, and her son’s death was what spurred her on to want to be a doctor.
Because women’s education was not a priority at the time in India Joshee had to go to the United States, where female education was growing at a slightly faster pace. The Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania (UMCP), was the first women’s medical college in the world.
In her letter to attend UMCP, she wrote how she wanted to come to the United States for college to:
“...carry out the purpose for which I came, i.e. to render to my poor suffering country women the true medical aid they so sadly stand in need of and which they would rather die than accept at the hands of a male physician.
The voice of humanity is with me and I must not fail. My soul is moved to help the many who cannot help themselves.”
Even though her husband was supportive of her education and some sent in finanical contributions to support her, many in her community still thought it was not a proper thing for her to do. She was threatened with excommunication by the Orthodox Hindu community.
Before leaving her home, she gave a speech at Serampore College Hall in India saying:
"Ladies, both European and Native, are naturally averse to exposing themselves in cases of emergency to treatment by doctors of the other sex.
In my humble opinion, there is a growing need for Hindu lady doctors in India, and I volunteer to qualify myself for one.”
It was expensive and neither had connection to anyone in the United States. Her husband wrote a letter that was eventually sent to “The Missionary Review,” where he asked for help to allow Joshee to study. The letter ended up in the hands of Theodocia Carpenter from New Jersey, who helped plan Joshee’s trip. She referred to Carpenter as “my dear aunt.”
In 1883, when she was 19, Joshee began her education at UMCP, now known as Drexel University College of Medicine, in Philadelphia. Joshee stayed with Dean Rachel Bodley for much of her studies and while training, Joshee continued to honor her culture and heritage. She was known to wear a sari while attending classes.
She graduated with an MD three years later in 1886 and was the first Indian woman in history to obtain an American medical degree, an achievement that even led to a congratulatory letter from Queen Victoria. She was also the first Indian woman to ever receive an education abroad.
After graduation, she was appointed physician-in-charge at the Albert Edward Hospital in India and celebrated for her endeavours; however, she never got to practice medicine as she died from tuberculosis on the 26th February, 1887. She was just a month shy of 22.
In accordance with Hindu tradition, Joshee was cremated and many in India mourned her passing. Her ashes were sent to be buried in America to commemorate her studies. A tombstone was erected in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her tombstone reads:
“First Brahmin woman to leave India to obtain an education."
It can still be visited to this day.
