Anandibai Joshi: A Torchbearer - Inspiring Biography of India's First Woman Doctor

Dr. Anandibai Joshi who was born in the 19th century is the Pioneer Indian Woman Doctor. She opened the gates of knowledge for Indian women. Not only was primary education denied to girls in that century but women’s education was also equated with a horrible sin. Yet revolting against unjust customs and prejudices Anandi went to America and became a doctor from the ‘Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania’ which was the first woman’s medical college in the world. Anandi has become an icon of emancipated women and is revered as a dauntless torchbearer. This biography is based on Anjali Kirtane’s thorough research of Dr. Anandibai Joshi and her time which she carried out in India and America for years. It is an authentic and truthful interpretation of Anandi’s life. Anjali looks at Anandi as a human being and hence feels free to write about Anandi’s faults or limitations. Studying the subject from multiple angles she has thrown light on the controversial chapters in Anandi’s life. Anjali’s discovery of Anandi’s grave in America is a very interesting chapter in this research story. Biographies with historical and contextual research require deep exploration into the subject’s environment. This is common to most European and American biographers. Anjali Kirtane has done the similar rigorous research and penetrating analysis one finds in the works published by Oxford-Cambridge or Stanford-Harvard scholars. Anjali’s Anandi acquires the same quality and standard of Euro-American writers. — Kumar Ketkar Senior Journalist Thinker and International speaker