Dr Kadambini Bose Ganguly (1861-1923): First Indian woman to practise Western medicine in India.

Abstract

Dr Kadambini Bose Ganguly, BA, Graduate of Bengal Medical College (GBMC), LRCPE, LRCSE, LRFPSG, a woman of many firsts, defied social criteria to become one of the first women to graduate in medicine in India in the nineteenth century. She was also the first Indian female to pass an entrance examination to a medical school in India. Dr Ganguly went on to become the first Indian woman to graduate and practise Western medicine in India, and remains an important symbol of women's empowerment in India. She understood the struggles that women faced, supported the education of fellow female students and promoted childcare for working women. She demonstrated that a woman could perform responsibilities in both the professional and domestic domains. Dr Ganguly paved the path for the success of other women and helped achieve female representation in the delivery of healthcare. This paper examines her life and work for women's empowerment and medical education.