Anandibai was born on March 31, 1865 in Kalyan, Mumbai. Her childhood name was Yamuna Joshi. When she was nine years old, she was married and her name was changed to Anandi. Her husband, Gopal Rao, was a broadminded man. He staunchly supported widow remarriage and women’s education. Since Anandi was not properly educated, he started teaching her. At first he tried to enroll her in the missionary schools, but that did not work out.

When Anandi made rapid progress, Gopal Rao persuaded her to study further. There were no female doctors in India then. Moreover, Anandibai had lost her young son when she was fourteen. So, she decided to become a doctor. Gopal Rao tried hard to get her a seat in an American University.

Mrs. Carpenter of Roselle, New Jersey, came to know of Anandibai’s story by chance. She offered to host her in the U.S.A. Since Gopal Rao could not find a job in America, Anandi left for America alone, despite opposition and criticism. She reached America in June 1883 and stayed in the house of the Carpenters.

Anandibai found many things strange in America. Their dress, their lifestyle, food habits were quite different. She was surprised when she found that they did not take bath every day. In the same way, the Carpenters found Anandibai’s dress, her vegetarian diet, her customs very strange.

In spite of the differences Mrs. Carpenter took care of Anandibai like her own daughter. Anandibai joined the Women’s College in Philadelphia. The Superintendent and the Secretary were very kind to her, when they came to know that she had come from India to study braving poverty and opposition from her people. They offered her a scholarship of six hundred dollars for three years.

The college room in which she stayed was not good. It did not have a proper fireplace and ventilation. The fireplace discharged a lot of smoke when lit. Anandibai tried to shift to a different place, but, people refused to rent a room to a brown Hindu girl. Hence, she was forced to stay in the same room. Cold and smoke affected her health very badly. She suffered from high temperature and chronic cough. Somehow she managed to complete her education and received the medical degree. She was hailed as the first woman doctor of India.

It was one of the most rewarding moments of her life. As the days progressed, her health deteriorated. Gopal Rao admitted her to the Women’s Hospital in Philadelphia. There they diagnosed that she had tuberculosis. The doctors advised her to return to India. Her voyage back home further damaged her health. The doctors on the ship refused to treat a brown woman.

After reaching India, she stayed with her cousin in Pune to receive treatment from an Ayurvedic specialist. But, he also refused to treat her for she had gone against the customs and traditions of Indian society. Anandibai was frustrated because all her achievements had become useless. She breathed her last on February 26, 1887.

People mourned her death throughout India. Her ashes were sent to Mrs. Carpenter, who kept them in her family cemetery. Anandibai’s life and achievements have inspired many young women. She has made us believe in our potentialities, and that we can achieve our goals despite adverse situations and circumstances. The Government of Maharashtra has founded a Fellowship in her honour for young women working on women’s health.