Written by: Ananya W.
Anandi Gopal Joshi
Born in the Indian state of Maharashtra in 1865, Joshi is known as India's first female doctor. Her first son passed away ten days after his birth due to medical negligence. This loss inspired her to pursue a career in medicine, an esoteric field that was not inclusive for Indian women. However, she persevered and completed her medical education in the United States, and became the first Indian woman to graduate with a medical degree in the United States. She was the first woman physician-in-charge of Albert Edward Hospital’s female ward in Kolhapur, with a medical fellowship named after her. Unfortunately, she died at the age of 22 due to tuberculosis, but her unwavering faith in medicine, her grit, and her resolve had an instrumental impact on the Indian healthcare system and the growing role that women play in it.
Lata Mangeshkar
Known as the "Nightingale of India," Lata Mangeshkar was one of the most influential figures in recent Indian history. Her versatile and pure singing was the voice of the nation and ingrained the Indian identity. With billions of listeners around the world tuning in for her live performances, her singing transformed Indian popular culture in a fundamental way. Playback singers were given more importance after her rise to fame and the exceptional skills she displayed in her art. She was the first Indian to play in the Royal Albert Hall and received three National Film Awards, a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, and many other accolades. She also received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, along with the Officer of the Legion of Honor, an honor bestowed on her by the French government. Her impact on Indian culture cannot be understated and her career in Indian music is one for the history books!
Kalpana Chawla
An ambitious astronaut who met a tragic fate all too quickly, Kalpana Chawla was an extraordinary woman whose dreams extended far beyond the cage of the universe. True to her name (Kalpana means 'imagination' and creativity), her interest always lied in the stars and the skies, and more importantly, how she'd get there. She was born in a small village in the Indian state of Haryana, so this aeronautical inclination always seemed far-fetched and worlds away. After moving to the United States, however, she worked for NASA for seven years before taking off on her maiden flight in 1997, becoming the first Indian woman in space. She was also selected as a crew member for STS-107 aboard the Columbia space shuttle, but the mission met a fatal end when the spacecraft disintegrated in the Earth's atmosphere upon re-entry. The seven crew members perished, but their legacy, along with hers, lives on and serves as a reminder of the importance of safety in space missions. She received a posthumous Distinguished Service Medal, Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and the NASA Space Flight Medal, cementing her role in the strides that NASA has made since the disaster.
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