Question

Who was the first practising woman doctor in India?
A) Rakhmabai Save
B) Ramabai Ranade
C) Pandita Ramabai
D) Arlandibal Joshi

Answer 1

Hint: Romanticism was a cultural movement in Europe that aimed to foster a specific type of nationalist spirit. The worship of reason and science was criticised by Romantic artists and poets. They concentrated on feelings, intuition, and mystical experiences. Their goal was to instil a sense of national heritage, a shared cultural past, as the foundation of a nation.

Complete answer:
Indian ladies did not have much of a social status back then. In fact, they were marginalised and neglected as a social group. Education's importance as a catalyst for or agent of social change has long been recognised.

Now let’s check out the given options:
A) Rakhmabai Save: Rakhmabai Janardan Save was India's first practising female physician. She gave a series of lectures about women's health issues. She also established a Red Cross Society section in Rajkot. Thus, this is the correct option.

B) Ramabai Ranade: Ramabai Ranade was an Indian social worker and one of the first women's rights campaigners. Ramabai founded the 'Hindu Ladies Social Club' in Mumbai to help women improve their public speaking skills. Ramabai dedicated her life to improving the lives of women. Thus, this is an incorrect option.

C) Pandita Ramabai: Pandita Ramabai Sarasvati was a social reformer and a women's rights and education activist in India. After being inspected by the faculty of the University of Calcutta, she was the first woman to be conferred the titles of Pandita and Sarasvati as a Sanskrit scholar. Hence, this option is incorrect.

D) Anandibai Joshi: Anandibai Joshi was the first Indian woman to pursue medicine in the Western world. She was the first woman from India's old Bombay presidency to study and graduate in the United States with a two-year western medicine degree. Thus, the option is incorrect.

Hence, the correct answer is option A) Rakhmabai Save. That is, Rakhmabai Save was the first practising woman doctor in India.

Note: Dr Rukhmabai holds the distinction of being India's first female doctor. Despite becoming the first Indian woman to qualify as a doctor, Anandi Gopal Joshi never practised medicine. Anandibai died of disease shortly after returning to India after completing her schooling, and she was unable to transform her degree into a successful career due to her early demise. Anandibai, like Rukhmabai, had dared to defy society and go against the flow in order to become a doctor.