Kadambini Ganguly: Pioneering Indian Women’s Education

Kadambini Ganguly, born as Kadambini Basu on July 18, 1861, holds a significant place in Indian history as the first woman graduate in the country and the first Indian woman physician to practice Western medicine.
Her educational journey began at Brahmo Eden Female School in Dhaka. Later, Kadambini Ganguly pursued her studies at Hindu Mahila Vidyalaya in Calcutta, where her future husband, Dwarkanath Ganguly, a prominent advocate for women’s education, served as the headmaster. Kadambini, along with Chandramukhi Bose, became the first Indian women to graduate from Calcutta University.
With the unwavering support of Dwarkanath, Kadambini Ganguly earned her first medical degree from Edinburgh, enabling her to practice medicine. Upon her return, she furthered her qualifications with British medical degrees and specialized in obstetrics and gynecology at Lady Dufferin Hospital in Calcutta, attracting the attention of none other than Florence Nightingale.
Kadambini’s determination extended beyond her medical achievements. She actively participated in a Congress session and remained deeply committed to women’s issues. Notably, she was part of a commission investigating the working conditions of women laborers in Bihar and Orissa.
Despite facing criticism from conservative society and enduring accusations about her character, Kadambini continued her work tirelessly until her passing at the age of 62, all while raising a large family. In a remarkable feat, she and her husband successfully won a legal case against those who had slandered her.
Kadambini Ganguly’s journey exemplifies a remarkable trailblazer in Indian women’s education and medicine, overcoming societal barriers to pave the way for future generations of women.
Re-reported from the article originally published in Telegraph India