National Doctors' Day 2023: Who were the first women doctors of India?

National Doctors’ Day 2023: National Doctors’ Day is celebrated across India on July 1, to appreciate doctors and their contribution to the society. It is important for us to know the significance of doctors in our lives.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us realise that doctors and healthcare professionals dedicate their lives to the well-being of society. We must be forever obliged to them and appreciate their efforts.  

Whose birth anniversary is celebrated as National Doctors’ Day? 

National Doctors’ Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of the great doctor, freedom fighter and philanthropist, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, to honour his dedication towards the medical field. After completing his medical studies in London, Dr. Roy came back to India to join the freedom movement. He was a good friend and the personal physician of Mahatma Gandhi and the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru. He was honoured with the Bharat Ratna on his 80th birthday on July 1, 1962. 

Who were India’s first women doctors? 

There always have been a debate about who became the first woman doctor of India? And the two names which come up during the discussions are Dr Kadambini Ganguly and Dr Anandibai Joshi, but the question that arises is ‘who became a doctor first?’.  

Let us tell you that both Anandibai Joshi and Kadambini Ganguly obtained their medical degree in the same year i.e. 1886. Although Anandibai Joshi passed away the very next year (1887). 

Anandibai Joshi was born in Pune, Maharashtra and completed her degree from Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania, USA.  

Calcutta Medical College opened its doors for women

Kadambini Ganguly was born in Bhagalpur, Bihar and moved to Kolkata to pursue medical science. She did her MBBS from Calcutta Medical College and made it open its doors for women who wanted to pursue medicine.

She went abroad in 1892 and took further training in Dublin, Glasgow and Edinburgh, UK. After returning to India, she began her bright career as a medical practitioner. She died in the year 1923. Both of them paved way for Indian women to fulfill their dreams to become doctors. 

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