“Each of us is given a ‘loaf of time’. Each new day shortens it by one slice. You will make many investments in life; the moments invested in exploring these devotions will bring dividends that change your eternal future.” This I read in the opening pages of a book of moral stories. People talk about utilizing each loaf of bread at its’ best. ‘At its best’ is what remains to be defined, according to me. This is because human nature is flowing to the tunes of the society at its best. It is not risking at its best. Everybody thinks that they can’t over run history. According to them, if the man who fell from the rooftop died on the spot, every one falling from the same place is destined to die on the spot. This is not true, we know. Then, why don’t we always believe in new possibilities? Believing in new possibilities with no history to trace and thus utilizing every given loaf of time is taking risk according to me. Success is about taking similar risks. This you can see in the life of all successful icons that lived on earth.
Today, on 31st March, we remember the first Indian woman, Dr Anandi Gopal Joshi, who obtained a medical degree. She was born on thirty first March 1865. She is also the first Hindu woman to do so. I brief her life account here, with a belief that it might help some to redefine chances and risks. According to the prevailing caste customs she got married at the age of 9 and gave birth to a child at the age of 14. Unfortunately, the child did not survive. The family believed that they lost the child because of inefficient medical support.
Her husband thought of encouraging her to become a physician. It was a physician couple from America who told them to apply at College of Pennyisollovia. Though she wanted to study for Medical Degree, they hadn’t enough financial resources to meet the expenses. This she explained in her speech done in a community at Serampore college hall, where she also pledged that she is not going to be converted to Christianity. It was her intention of initiating a medical college for women in India that attracted public acclaim most.
Her speech was reported widely and money began to flow. The then Viceroy of India contributed Rs. 200. Finally she travelled to New York by ship Theodicia Corpenter in June 1883. The dean enrolled her to the medical college. She graduated from there with an MD in 11/03/1886. On her graduation Queen Victoria sent her a congratulatory message. In late 1886 she returned to India and the princely state of Kolhapur appointed her as a physician in charge of a female ward of the local Albert Edward hospital.
Destiny but was not kind to her. Anandbai died early next year on 26/02/1887 at the age of 22, leaving behind a whole dream of a Women’s Medical College in India. Her death was mourned throughout India. Her ashes were sent to Theodician Carpenter in America who placed that in his family cemetery in New York.
Joseph Mattappally
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