Ananthibai Gopalrao Joshi was born in 31 March 1865 in the present state of Maharashtra. Her husband name is Gopalrao Joshi so that she was also referred to as Ananthibai Joshi. She got married at the age of 9. A boy born to her at the age of 14. He died in ten days, and the child's death marked a turning point in her life. The idea of becoming a doctor seriously arose in her mind. And her husband also support and went to America to study medicine.
Ananthibai travelled to New York from Kolkata by ships, chaperoned by two female English missionary acquaintances of the Thorton. In New York, Theodicia Carpenter received her in June 1883. Ananthibai wrote to the Woman's medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, asking to be admitted to their medical program, which was the second women's medical program in the world. Rachel Bolded, the dean of the college, enrolled her.
She was 19 years old When she joined Women medical College, Pennsylvania. In America, Her health worsened because of the cold weather and unfamiliar diet. She contracted tuberculosis. The superintendent and secretary of the college were impressed that she had come to study so far, braving, poverty, and opposition. Hence, they offered her a scholarship of 600 dollar for three years.
During the 17th century, Women felt very uncomfortable with male doctors attending childbirth, and Joshi, who applied to study medicine, mentioned in her application form that she wanted to provide medicine for poor women in India and women's discomfort. On March 11, 1886, She received her medical degree (MD) with the topic of her thesis was "Obstetrics among the Aryan Hindus". The thesis utilized reference from both ayurvedic texts and American medical textbooks. On her graduation, Queen Victoria sent her a congratulatory message. Ananthibai Joshi is credited with being the First South Asian Woman and the First Indian Woman to be trained in western medicine. Apart from that, She is the first Indian woman to graduate from a medical College in the United States.
In late 1886, Ananthibai returned to India, receiving a grand welcome. The princely state of Kolhapur appointed her as the physician in charge of the female ward of the local Albert Edward Hospital. Ananthibai died of tuberculosis early the next year on 26 February 1887 at the age of 21 in Pune, Bombay Presidency, British India. Years preceding her death, she was fatigued and felt constant weakness. Medicine was sent to her from America, but there were no results, so she kept studying medicine until death. Her death was mourned throughout India. Her ashes were sent to Theodoric Carpenter, who placed them in her family cemetery at the Poughkeepsie Rural cemetery in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Despite practicing medicine for only two or three months, She rose to fame for her sheer determination and hard work, to become the first Indian female to study western medicine, becoming an inspiration to all others who came after her. Hence, She proved the women's also will study medicine.
"She is a beacon of hope for the women community".
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