What strikes me the most about Chennai is the leading role many women have played in its growth and development – women professionals in particular.
Going back to the early 1900s, we had Muthulakshmi Reddy who became not only the first woman medical doctor but also a surgeon, a legislator and social reformer. She set up the Adyar Cancer Institute and she dedicated her life to providing affordable access to cancer treatment.
Another doctor was Sarada Menon. She headed the Institute of Mental Health and later set up the NGO, SCARF. She had a huge impact, and today T.N. is one of the States that is leading in the provision of mental health services thanks to her pioneering efforts.
V. Shanta is another prominent doctor. Cancer Institute, Adyar was one of the first institutes to have a strong epidemiology and statistics department; she encouraged and promoted research.
Similarly we had pioneering women in other science subjects.
Many of the things that we as women professionals take for granted today, are because of the efforts made by these women who, at that time, had to fight against traditional thinking and break out of societal moulds. I think we should remember them perhaps by naming public spaces after them, and after the men who have contributed to science, technology, medicine and the arts. Not just for the betterment of Chennai, but for India and the world.
(As told to Zubeda Hamid)
Published – August 31, 2025 09:45 pm IST
