The Rearview Podcast | India’s First ‘Lady Doctors’

This podcast explores the lives of India’s first female doctors, framing their struggle not as a technological quest, but as a profound social rebellion. Beyond merely practicing medicine, women like Drs. Kadambini Ganguly, Anandibai Joshi, Rukmabai Raut and Jamini Sen, navigated a “structural trap” of colonial prejudice and domestic conservatism. The narrative highlights the contradictions of the era: progressive male allies who nonetheless didn’t condemn child marriage, and nationalists like Tilak who viewed female education as “insubordination.” Ultimately, the theme centers on agency versus institutional erasure, celebrating these women for their scientific contributions—such as implementing antiseptic protocols—while reclaiming their stories from historical obscurity.

The Rearview is a podcast where the hosts guide you on a scenic route through the history of science. Filled with fascinating anecdotes, deep archival dives, and a closer look at the quirky minds behind groundbreaking ideas.

Hosts: Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair

Recorded by Tayyab Hussain and Shiksha Jural

Producers: Shiksha Jural and Jude Weston

For more episodes of The Rearview: