KAMALA SOHONIE: India’s First Woman Biochemist
Kamala Sohonie Fought Gender Bias to Pursue Science and Emancipated the Indigent, becoming India’s First Female Biochemist
A woman of pure scientific intellect, battled gender bias, prejudice in scientific discipline broke the shackles of patriarchy existent in colonial India to navigate her way into the male-dominated field of science; this stellar woman was none other than Kamala Sohonie, the first Indian woman to receive a Doctorate degree in any scientific discipline.
Genesis of Patriarchal Subjugation
Born in the city of Indore in 1912, Kamala Sohonie was a the daughter to father Narayanarao Bhagvat who along with his brother was alumni of Tata Institute of Sciences in Bangalore, which later became the Indian Institute of Science (IISc Banglore). Kamala followed suit and in 1933 graduated Bombay University at the top of her class with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (principal) and Physics (subsidiary). Despite this feat however, she was denied access to her father’s native college on the sole ground that she was a woman.
Established by the renowned Physicist and Nobel Laureate C.V. Raman, IISc Banglore kept its doors shut for women who wanted to pursue science in his institute. They were of the view that men were indigenous while women were incompetent when it came to the felid of science. He reportedly replied, “I am not going to take any girls in my institute.”
This thought process was a gift of the patriarchal Indian mentality that justified the subordination of women on the grounds of biological differences between men and women. Simone de Beauvoir, the French feminist was of the view that the societal institutions socialize boys and girls differently subjecting them to appropriate gender-specific forms of behaviors which is continuous. Not just behaviors even qualities and spheres were sex-specific — bravery and public sphere belong to men, respectively while women were refined to shyness and private sphere. This fundamental thinking qualifies Science as masculine and legitimizes the mechanisms of denial to the entry of women to his institute by Raman.
The Taste of Maiden Victory
Kamala, however, was single-minded, unflinching in her decision and dead set on walking through those watertight gates of wisdom which kept women at bay. She observed Satyagrah outside Raman’s office flooding him with questions challenging her denial in the institute. Succumbing to the tenacious temperament of Sohonie, Raman changed his mind and allowed Sohonie to study but only on probation for a year. This is how Prof. C. V. Raman (the first Asian Nobel laureate in Physics) had to give way to Kamala Sohonie, who eventually became the first woman receipt of a doctorate degree in science in India.
This entry was however conditional. The conditions being:
- She would not be a regular candidate
- She had to work as per the instructions of the guide, even if it required working late at night
- She should not be a distraction to her male colleagues
- Her work would remain unrecognized until C.V. Raman himself saw it fit.
These conditions left her in a fit of pique but Sohonie agreed to them and challenged Raman that she would complete her degree with a distinction. Still filled with indignation years later. Kamala publically spoke at an event organized by the Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA), “Though Raman was a great scientist, he was very narrow-minded. I can never forget the way he treated me just because I was a woman. This was a great insult to me. The bias against women was so bad at that time. What can one expect if even a Nobel laureate behaves in such a manner?”
Kamala worked hard in IISc Banglore to redeem her pride and prove her aptitude in science. This hard work paid off as Raman, content with her work, granted her permission to further her research as a regular student. It is said that Kamala’s determination, perseverance and the centralized pursuit of biochemical research led to a change of heart in Raman who in the following year opened the gates of his Institute for all women to pursue science with dignity. Thus a silent social revolution for the emancipation of women had taken place and been won.
A Triumphant Educational Journey
M Sreenivasayya was one of the pioneers of microbiological research in India and was a strict teacher who demanded nothing short of excellence from his students but also never failed to support and encourage them as and when they required. Under his guidance, Kamala researched on the proteins present in pulses, legumes, and milk and was the first researcher to work on pulse proteins. She chose this topic as it was closer to the Indian milieu and frankly this way she could reach the majority population of India. This work led her to receive not only a successful degree in MSc in 1936 but also enabled her to pursue Ph.D. at Cambridge University.
Having completed her BSc in 1936, Kamala arrived in the UK in 1937 and joined Derek Richter, a renowned neurochemistry, at Cambridge’s Biochemical and Physiological Laboratory. However after Derek left the work, she too left and joined the research lab of Robin Hill where her excellent work impressed everyone and they made suggested her to apply for a fellowship, to work with Fredrick G Hopkins, a Nobel laureate in the field of medicine. Hopkins is credited with the discovery of vitamins, delineating its importance in diet and thus revolutionizing the knowledge about nutrition.
Kamala won the fellowship and joined the laureate’s lab in 1939. It was here that nutritive value of foods and plants caught Sohonie’s fancy and she began her work on potatoes where she came across an enzyme ‘cytochrome C’ present in the vegetable, which on being studied elusively, Kamala was able to work out the process of oxidation-reduction (or respiration) in plant tissues. Thus concluding that the enzyme ‘cytochrome C’ had an important part to play in the process of electron transport chain in plants which generates energy in organisms and that this isolated process was similar in all cells- plants, animals and even humans.
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During this process of achieving excellence, Kamala earned herself another feat- of completing her thesis precisely in 40 pages where most ran into hundreds of pages; in just a period of 14 months thus completing her Ph.D. from Cambridge University and becoming the first Indian woman to successfully adorn the title of being a Ph.D.
The hands of Hope towards Indigent Indians
Besides being a brilliant scientist whose main asset was her brain, her heart was filled with patriotism and she refused all offers from the big Pharmaceutical companies in USA to come work in India and serve the poor and needy who so longed for such attention. A dedicated follower of Gandhi and aware of the nationalist movement going on in the 1900s, Kamala dedicated her life in the research and pursuit of ameliorating the lives of poor and malnourished in India.
After her return to India in 1939, Kamala Sohonie was appointed as the Head of the biochemistry department at Lady Hardinge Medical College situated in New Delhi. Following that she joined the Nutrition Research Lab in Coonoor as an assistant director focusing on the effects and role of vitamins in nutrition. Kamala moved to Mumbai in 1947, after marrying M.V. Sohonie and joined the Biochemistry Department at Bombay’s Institute of Science, which was recently inaugurated by the Maharashtra government and they decided that Kamala would be the best choice for the post of Professor of Biochemistry.
However, it was like history repeated itself as she was kept at bay from the position she was initially agreed upon, for 4 years. This struggle ended soon and she was eventually given her due. Regardless of the chaos, Kamala researched on three major groups of foods that were primarily consumed by the rural and poorer sections of the Indian society- legumes, rice and ‘Neera’- and established their nutritive value.
Accolades in the field of Science
Kamala was suggested by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first president of independent India to research on ‘Neera,’ a liquid (sap) derived from various species of palm trees. Sohonie found that Neera contained iron, vitamins A and C which would still be retained if, in order to extend the drink’s shelf life, they were made into molasses and jaggery. This groundbreaking research led to molasses and jaggery to be used as an affordable dietary supplement for pregnant women, malnutrition children and the poor people all across India. She was also selected to be an advisor to Bombay’s Aery Milk Project Factory where she developed a protocol which prevented the milk from curdling.
The Government of Maharashtra had newly opened a Biochemistry Department in their Royal Institute of Science, Bombay and invited applicants for the post of the professor of Biochemistry. Kamala Sohonie had applied and got selected as the first female director of the Royal Institute of Science in Bombay. Here she worked on the nutritional aspects of Neera, Dhan and pulses, legumes as well.
However, her time at the Institute of Science, Bombay was not without trouble. She was kept away for 4 years, from her rightful and earned position as the Director of the same institute. When the time came and she was given her rightful chair as the director of the institution, even Scientist Derek Richter, her first guide at Cambridge proudly exclaimed, ‘She had made history by being the first lady Director of such a big science institute,’ for his beloved ex-student.
For her biochemical expertise and exemplary work, she was given the prestigious Rashtrapati Award and she became the recipient of National Award for Excellence and Contribution to Science in 1997. Even She passed away in 1998 in New Delhi, while being felicitated in a ceremony at the Indian Council of Medical Research for her prolific work in science and crucial findings in the humanitarian field.
Author’s View
It was Kamala’s simplicity, her profound love for science, her steadfast nature to face every challenge head-on, her hard work, ability to perform each task with precision and in the end using her great acquired knowledge for humanitarian causes that ascertains that she not only became a successful scientist but her trajectory is testimony of her philanthropic nature. Such was the persona of Kamala Sohonie, first Indian female to receive a doctorate in science, that she not only worked to achieve what she aspired but also paved way for all women to follow suit and to pursue their dreams without being hesitant and prejudiced against. Her relentless efforts and unflinching dedication to science, not only helped garner advancements in the scientific fields but using that knowledge for the betterment of general masses in India, speaks volumes about her philanthropic demeanor. She not only achieved what she aimed for in life but also carried the nation forward by instilling confidence in the women and alleviating the poor of a newly independent country, giving them hope to nurture better tomorrow.
Relevance of the Google Doodle
According to Google Doodle, “The primary purpose of Google Doodles is to raise awareness and celebrate diverse cultural, historical, and scientific achievements. They serve as a way to educate, entertain, and inspire users by highlighting important events, personalities, inventions, and milestones from around the world.”
As google doodle itself honors influential figures, this global recognition of Kamala Sohonie renews her existence for all the Millennials and Gen Z generations who were not aware of this stellar personality and her contributions to society. While many female science pursuants might have known about her, its interesting to learn that with a simple google doodle, Kamala Sohonie has reached billions of users worldwide and while she passed away in 1988, her contributions have scaled the name of India well within the 21st century as well.
References:
- Krishana Sankar; Women in Biochemistry: Kamala Sohonie, The Femmes of Stem; May 9, 2018.
- Chandrika Manjunath; Kamala Sohonie: First Indian Woman To Get A PhD In Science | #IndianWomenInHistory, Intersectional Feminism- Desi Style!, December 25, 2017.
- Sanchari Pal; How Kamala Sohonie Defied Gender Bias & Became the First Indian Woman Ph.D in Science, The Better India; March 10, 2017.
- History of Scientific Women; Wikipedia.
- Kamala Sohonie’s 112th Birthday; Google Doodle
