Why did India choose to forget a pioneering woman like Dr Jamini Sen?

Dr. Jamini Sen was a groundbreaking physician who achieved international recognition but was deliberately forgotten in her home country of India. She was the first woman ever to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. She served as royal physician to the Nepalese royal family for ten years and developed a close friendship with King Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah. She chose to remain unmarried and adopted a child, making her a single working mother over a century ago. Motivated by anger at this historical erasure, her grand-niece Deepta Roy Chakraverti rescued her story from obscurity by writing her biography, titled Daktarin Jamini Sen (2026). eShe's Book Club discussion in March, hosted by executive director Shailaja Rao, featured Chakraverti's book and explored its themes of courage, resilience, professional jealousy, and the price women pay for success. Read the report on www.eshe.in. Follow us for more conversations with inspiring women.