History News Desk !!! Anandi Gopal Joshi (English: Anandi Gopal Joshi, born: March 31, 1865, Pune; Death: 26 February, 1887) was the first Indian woman to hold a doctory degree. In the era when women’s education was also difficult, it was an example for them to go abroad and get a doctory degree. Anandi Gopal Joshi’s personality was an inspiration for women. He made his dream come true in 1886. When he decided to become a doctor, there was a lot of criticism in the society that a married Hindu woman should study and study a doctor. But Anandibai was a determined woman and did not even care about criticisms. This was the reason that she got the distinction of being the first Indian woman doctor.
Introduction
Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi was born on 31 March 1865 in Kalyan, Thane, Maharashtra in a Marathi family. The parents named him Yamuna. His family was a conservative Marathi family, who only knew to read Sanskrit. His father was a zamindar. His family’s situation deteriorated after the British rulers ended the zamindari system in Maharashtra. They were living in some way. Born in a similar family, Anandi Gopal alias Yamuna was married to a widower 20 years old at the age of nine. According to the custom of Hindu society, after marriage, her name was changed from Yamuna to Anandi and she became known as Anandi Gopal Joshi.[1]
Resolve to become a doctor
Anandi Gopal Joshi was only fourteen years old when she gave birth to her son. But unfortunately, he died within ten days due to lack of proper treatment. This incident caused him deep shock. She broke inside. Her husband Gopal Rao was a progressive thinker and also supported women’s education. Anandi Gopal Joshi handled himself after a few days and decided to become a doctor himself. She wanted to try to stop untimely deaths due to lack of medicine, as there was no system of allopathic medical studies in India at that time, so one had to go abroad to study.[2]
Rebellion of orthodox Hindu society
The sudden decision taken by Anandi Gopal Joshi caused a wave of protest in the family and the neighborhood. He was also strongly criticized. The society did not accept that a married Hindu woman should go abroad and study for medical, because they feared that both husband and wife would change their religion and adopt Christianity. When Anandi Rao came to know about this, he deposited people in the hall of Sirampur College and announced that- “I am going to America only to get high education of medical. There is a purpose to serve the people here in India, because there is not a single female doctor in India, in the absence of which many women and children die untimely. ” Anandi Gopal Joshi’s speech had a widespread impact on the orthodox people and was offered to help his medical studies from all over the country.[3]
Struggle time
After the published of this statement of Anandi Gopal Joshi, the whole India provided him with assistance, even the Viceroy sent him a assistance of Rs 200. She sold all her gold jewelery and left for New York from Kolkata with some European women, where she met Mrs. Carpenter in June 1883. He then applied for admission to the Medical College of Women’s College of Philadelphia and soon received a letter from the Dean of the college, in which he was asked to take admission in the college. America was a stranger city for Anandi. He did not understand many things there. There was a lot of difference between the living and food of him and the US. But a intimate relationship between him and Mrs. Carpenter was established. The college superintendent and secretaries were very impressed by the fact that a girl has come here to study so far, facing social protests. He approved a $ 600 scholarship for his three -year -old studies.
But the problems were not over yet. His clothes were not suited to the cold. His waist and hands were open when wearing nine Gaji Maharashtrian saree. While western dresses were more suitable for prevention of colds. By the way, her husband assured her that if she carries meat and wearing a western dress, she would not have any objection, but she could not prepare herself for it. He remembered the ‘Gita’, which states that- “The body is just the cover of the soul which cannot be impure.” He thought that if this is true, then how can my soul be impure by wearing my western civilization clothes? After thinking a lot, he decided to wear a sari in a Gujarati manner and also informed her husband about this. The fire place of the room given to him to live on behalf of the college did not work properly. While burning wood, it would continue to smoke from it. They had only two options either in the cold or in the smoke. He tried to find a second room, but was not ready to give the room to any Indian Hindu girl who was trying to become a doctor. He complained of fever and cough due to staying in that room for one and a half years in a row.
Country’s first female doctor
Gopal Rao, husband of Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi, encouraged him at every step. In 1883, Anandi Gopal stepped on the land of America (Pennsylvania). At that time she was the first Indian Hindu woman to step on any foreign land. Theodisia, who lives in New Jersey, supported him during his studies. In 1886, Anandibai did his MD at the age of nineteen. She returned to India after taking the degree. When he obtained this degree, Queen Victoria wrote a congratulatory letter to him and was welcomed in India as a heroine.[2]
Death
Doctor Anandi Rao Joshi returned to India in late 1886 and took charge as a female doctor at Albert Edward Hospital, Princely State of Kolhapur. But only a few days later, she became a victim of TB, causing him to death on 26 February 1987 at the age of twenty -one. Caroline Wils also wrote biography in the year 1888 on his life. This biography was broadcast a Hindi TV serial under the name ‘Anandi Gopal’ on Doordarshan channel, directed by Kamalakar Sarang.[1]
On March 31, 2018, Google paid her tribute by making her a special doodle on the 153rd birth anniversary of India’s first female doctor Anandi Gopal Joshi. Google has shown Anandi Gopal Joshi holding a degree in his hand in this special doodle. Along with this, he has also kept a stethoscope hanging around his neck. Anandi Gopal Joshi was the first to become a doctor from India to qualify with the US. Not only this, Anandi Joshi was also the first Indian woman to step on US soil.
Joshi crater
The planet Venus, also known as the “dawn star”, has very big pits on it. The three pits of this planet are named after the three famous women of India.[4],
Joshi Creater – This name is named after Anandi Gopal Joshi. Meritorious Craer – It is named after Ramabai Medhavi. Girad Crater – It is named after Jerusa Girad.