Advertisement
New Delhi: Dr. Kamla Sohoni was the first Indian woman to obtain a PhD degree in a scientific discipline. Known for the discovery of the enzyme, ‘Cytochrome C’, Sohoni is hailed as the legend who helped break the glass ceiling for future Indian women and pursue their dreams in fields considered to be male bastions. Helped to make it come true.
Sunday, June 18, is his 112th birth anniversary and a Google Doodle marks the day to celebrate the biochemist who did pioneering work in this field.
Who was Dr. Kamla Sohoni?
When Dr. Kamala Sohoni earned her PhD, there was little representation of women in scientific disciplines in India. She broke many barriers and fought gender discrimination and inspired others to pursue their dreams.
Citing “family historical records”, the Google quote states that Sohoni was born on June 18, 1912, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. His parents were chemists and respected people. He followed in the footsteps of his father and uncle and studied chemistry and physics at Bombay University.
She topped her class in 1933 and became the first woman to join the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). It was reported that strict conditions were imposed on her during her first year, apparently because the institute (read its then director CV Raman) doubted the abilities of women in science.
It is said that she was denied admission to pursue a master’s degree by Raman, following which she sat down in protest against the Nobel laureate.
Not only was Sohoni successful in getting permission to continue her research, but the director of IISc was reportedly so impressed with her that the institute began admitting more women to its program.
Dr. Kamala Sohonie’s Foreign Studies And Ph.D
In 1937, Dr. Sohonie earned a research scholarship at Cambridge University. She conducted research and discovered that Cytochrome C, an enzyme crucial for energy generation, was present in all plant cells. In a mere 14 months, she completed her thesis on this subject and acquired her Ph.D.
Dr. Kamala Sohonie’s Efforts Against Malnutrition In India
Upon returning to India, Dr. Sohonie continued her studies on the benefits of specific foods and contributed to the development of an affordable dietary supplement made from palm nectar called Neera. This nutritious drink is a good source of Vitamin C and has been proven to improve the health of malnourished children and pregnant women.
