COMPARED with 19th century Britain, entry for women into medical schools in India was modestly better. Mary- Ann Dacomb Scharlieb née Bird sought admission into medical programme in Madras Medical College (MMC). She entered the three-year LM&S programme in 1875. Subsequently Mary-Ann qualified for MD from the London School of Medicine for Women. She also got a diploma in operative midwifery from the University of Vienna (Austria). After meeting with Queen Victoria, she returned to Madras.
The Queen Victoria Hospital for Caste and Goa Women (now Kastur Bha Gandhi Hospital) in Triplicane emerged consequently thanks to Scharlieb. Scharlieb wrote books for general female readership and health educators. Scharleib’s books reinforced personal hygiene for girls and reproductive health for women. When in Madras, she lectured on midwifery, gynecology, and diseases of children to at MMC until her return to London in 1887.
Elle d’Abreau and Abalã Das were directed to LM&S programme of MMC after their applications were rejected by the Calcutta Medical College in 1882. Abalã Das (later, Lady Abalã through her marriage to Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose), Rose Govindarajulu, and Gurdial Sing were the earliest batch of Indian women to qualify from MMC in 1888.
Rachel Christoffelsz, while working as a medical officer in Colombo Municipal Medical Service for many years, came to Madras to be trained in child health for three months (at the Women & Children Hospital in Egmore?). She practiced pediatrics and antenatal care in Colombo until 1925.
Muthulakshmi, born in Pudukkotai, joined MMC in 1907 and graduated with MBBCh in 1912. She married Sundara Reddy, a Madras surgeon in 1914. She was influenced by thoughts of Annie Besant and Mahãtma Gandhi. She worked for the welfare and development of women: she was instrumental in abolishing the devadasi system, restricting child marriages, developing facilities for destitute women (e.g., Avvai Home). Touched by her sister’s death due to cancer, in the Golden-Jubilee address in MMC in 1935, she pleaded for a cancer hospital in Madras.
Her plea materialised in 1952 blossoming as the Adyar Cancer Institute, which stands today celebrating the name and greatness of this extraordinary Madras woman.
Hilda Mary Lazarus was the first Indian Christian to qualify MBBCh from Madras.
Born in Visakapatnam, Hilda, after her BA from Madras Presidency College, did her MBBCh in MMC, qualified for Memberships of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (London and Dublin), joined as obstetrician- gynecologist in Lady Hardinge Medical College & Hospital (New Delhi) in 1917, and later became its first Indian Principal. Hilda was the first woman medical officer in government service to receive her appointment to Women’s Medical Service of India (WMSI) from London. She moved to the Dufferin Hospital, Calcutta.
After 30 years there, Hilda retired in 1947. Ida Scudder sought Hilda to direct Christian Medical College & Hospital (CMC&H, Vellore); Hilda worked at CMC&H in 1948-1954. The Lazarus Ward in Queen Victoria Hospital (Triplicane) celebrates Hilda’s contributions.
Lakshmi Sahgal née Swaminadhan studied MBBS in MMC and graduated in 1938. A year later she qualified for DGO (Diploma in Gynaecology & Obstetrics).
Lakshmi went to Singapore in 1940 to practice. She was attracted to participate in anti-British struggle in Singapore and got drawn to play an active role in the India Independence League.
In l942, Lakshmi nursed the thought of forming an Indian Liberation Army in Singapore. Her role in the planning and design of Indian National Army (INA) cannot be gainsaid.
Soundaram Ramachandran née Sundaram was married as a teenager to surgeon Sundar Rajan, who died early. Soundaram graduated MBBS from Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi and was influenced by her classmate Susheela Nayyar into Gandhian ideology.
She married G Ramachandran, a journalist and social worker. Soundaram set up a two-bed Kastur Bha Hospital in Çinnalapatti, which evolved into the Gandhigram Rural Institute in 1947. Fondly known as Soundaramma, Soundaram worked relentlessly for the downtrodden and poor both as a doctor and a stateswoman. She lived a true Gandhian until her end.