Kavitha Rao is an author and journalist based in London. She has written three books and is working on her fourth.
Her latest, "Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India's First Women in Medicine" delves into the extraordinary journeys of India's first female physicians, spanning from the 1860s to the 1930s. The narratives of these six remarkable women are marked by their relentless battles against formidable challenges, including colonialism, casteism, patriarchy, and resistance from society.
In an interview with Asian Voice, she talks about “Lady Doctors”, the importance of highlighting the women in history and the increased relevance of the book in current times.
If you could start by telling us more about your book and its relevance today?
“Lady Doctors” narrates the story of women facing exclusion from science and medicine and is a universal tale. This struggle occurred worldwide, with women encountering barriers in accessing medical education, facing harassment, and having their achievements overshadowed by men. The narrative of women's exclusion from the field of science is a story that transcends borders.
Many people often wonder why they should read a book about Indian women in the 1860s, thinking it has no relevance to them. However, such attitudes still persist, even in the United Kingdom. Not long ago, a major investigative report by The Times revealed incidents of female surgeons being subjected to harassment and abuse by their male counterparts, including residents. This controversy highlights that, despite improvements, these issues continue to exist.
What inspired you to write about the women of medicine?
The inspiration came while I was doing some research on Google and a doodle of one of the women featured in this book appeared. It was Rukhmabai and I wondered why had I not heard about this woman before. Why is she not in textbooks or museums or has roads named after her because she had such an incredible story. Then I dug in, found some lesser-known ones like Mary Poonen Lukose and Haimabati Sen and decided that I wanted to write about this even though I don't really have any experience with the medical profession. I thought it made for a very good story.
Among all the remarkable women featured in your book, were there any particular stories that resonated with you on a personal level and left a lasting impact?
I believe the most inspiring figure, particularly for the general reader, would be Rukhmabai. Her story was marked by incredibly daunting challenges. She was married off as a child and decided she wanted a divorce. She wanted to pursue education when it was not readily available to her. Her determination led her to court to seek a divorce, causing quite an uproar among Hindu conservatives, surprisingly including Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Rukhmabai had to resort to writing letters to The Times of India and appealing to Queen Victoria in order to gain support from the liberal communities both in the UK and India to obtain permission to divorce her husband and pursue her studies.
On a personal note, I find a strong connection with a lesser-known woman named Haimabati Sen, who also endured significant hardships. She was a child widow in rural West Bengal, married at a tender age of eight and widowed by ten. Remarkably, she managed to break free from the oppressive system that child widows faced in those days in West Bengal and across India. She found a way to become a doctor despite having no formal education.
What is your vision for how readers should perceive the message of your book?
I may not have an incredibly grand vision, but one of the motivations behind writing this book was to address a recurring issue I've noticed. The conversation often revolves around how men are solely responsible for all the groundbreaking inventions. Especially among young men, there's a recurring notion that, despite the flaws of patriarchy, men have been the sole architects of every significant invention. They argue that without men, the world would not have witnessed crucial advancements. The reality, however, is quite different.
For instance, "Hidden Figures" revealed the critical role played by women at NASA, whose contributions had been largely erased from the collective memory. The story of Rosalind Franklin, who made vital contributions to the discovery of DNA, only to be overshadowed by Watson and Crick, is another glaring example. Through my research, I discovered that many women doctors from the UK, the US, and India were exceptionally intelligent and accomplished. However, their achievements were often undermined.
What are some challenges you’ve faced while writing this book?
The challenges of writing this book are compounded for an Indian author. I divided my writing process between India, where I lived until recently, and London, where I moved three years ago. Indian libraries often lack sufficient materials on the subject of these remarkable women, making the research and writing process more challenging.
Much of my research for this book took place in the British Library and in libraries accessible through friends in Canada and various other locations. Unfortunately, Indian libraries lack sufficient resources on this subject, making it exceptionally challenging for most Indian writers to undertake projects like this due to limited access to quality library collections.
The book is available on Amazon or you can visit Waterstone's:
