Illustration by Jennifer Howard, Our Legendary Ladies
Anandi Gopal Joshi. How many of you have heard her name? She was an Indian girl, who wed young as customary at the time, but came to America to become the first Indian woman with a Western Medical degree. Forget about glass, Anandi shattered a concrete ceiling! She defied everything that was the norm at the time. She broke through a caste system and should be a leader and role model for so many women worldwide. But she’s been forgotten.
Anandi Gopal Joshi was born in 1865. She married a much older man who became one of her biggest advocates and demanded she receive an education. Her husband wrote to missionaries who sent his letters back to their church in New Jersey, where a local family sponsored her. She then made an incredible trip across the ocean to study at the Pennsylvanian Woman’s Medical College.
Unfortunately, as I reflect on her story, I am shocked that it is not that different for many Indian girls now. India still to this day has the highest number of child brides in the world. Indian girls are struggling for their rights, basic rights like education. These girls have no one advocating for them, these girls have been forgotten.
I do not want to brush past the conditions Anandi was raised in, but it was at a time when many women globally were fighting for the same rights. But there is no excuse now. There is no excuse for girls to not receive a formal education. There is no excuse that one's brother should be educated and not themselves. THERE IS NO EXCUSE.
She sailed across the Atlantic at a time when many women were not allowed to have any freedoms. She is an inspiration to so many girls; her story is one of bravery. Imagine getting on a boat, sailing for weeks, leaving your family with no idea what awaits you at your destination and all of this at the tender age of 18.
After hearing Anandi Gopal Joshi’s story, how could I not write about her? As I began preliminary research, there were only a few blogs and online stories about this woman. It then dawned on me that I was about to write the first children’s book dedicated to this Legendary Lady. I knew I wanted to tell her story accurately, so I started searching for her foremost historian and found Dr. Anjali Kirtane. With the help of Anjali, this story is 100% faithful to Anadi in word and illustration. She is an amazing woman who will continue to encourage girls globally. She came from nothing, but for her there was no other option. No excuse. She did it. She was pushed beyond her limit, the social limit.
Now for us, there is no excuse. We must help and champion these forgotten girls to ensure they have the rights that we all take for granted every day. We must do all we can to advocate and be the voice of those whose voices are not yet able to be heard. And we must not stop advocating until they have the same voice that we do until no one is forgotten.
Written by Megan Callea, author of Our Legendary Ladies’ book series, whose goal is to go beyond the basics and teach babies about history’s amazing women. Do not forget for each book purchased, one is donated.