Teen mom A Lalitha defied odds, becoming India’s 1st female engineer

At just 15, A Lalitha married. By 18, widowed with a baby, she pursued engineering. Graduating in 1943, she became India’s first female engineer. Despite societal norms, she persevered, supported by her family.

Her journey began at the College of Engineering, Guindy. She faced challenges, being the only woman, but paved the way for others like P K Thressia and Leelamma Koshie.

After graduation, Lalitha worked at the Central Standards Organisation and later at Associated Electrical Industries (AEI), contributing to projects like the Bhakhra Nangal Dam.

She didn’t stop there. Lalitha encouraged her daughter Syamala to pursue STEM, who eventually became a math teacher and married an electrical engineer.

Lalitha’s achievements didn’t go unnoticed. She was elected as an associate member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, London, and represented Indian women at the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists in New York.

Even in retirement, Lalitha continued to inspire. Though she passed away at 60 due to a brain aneurysm, her legacy lives on, urging Indian girls to chase their dreams without fear.

Repurposed article originally published in She the people