Kamala Sohonie
Indian biochemist (1911–1998)
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Key Takeaways
- Kamala Sohonie (18 June 1911 – 28 June 1998) was an Indian biochemist who in 1939 became the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline.
- Her research delved into the effects of vitamins and into the nutritive values of pulses, paddy, and groups of food items consumed by some of the poorest sections of the Indian population.
- Kamala Sohonie received the Rashtrapati Award for this work.
- Her father, Narayanarao Bhagvat, as well as her uncle, Madhavrao Bhagvat, were chemists and alumni of the erstwhile Tata Institute of Sciences (which later became the Indian Institute of Science) in Bengaluru.
- Kamala then applied to the Indian Institute of Science for a research fellowship, but her application was turned down by the then-Director and Nobel Laureate Prof.
Kamala Sohonie (18 June 1911 – 28 June 1998) was an Indian biochemist who in 1939 became the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline. Her acceptance into and work at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, paved the way for women to be accepted into the institution for the first time in its history.
Her research delved into the effects of vitamins and into the nutritive values of pulses, paddy, and groups of food items consumed by some of the poorest sections of the Indian population. Her work on the nutritional benefits of the palm extract called 'Neera' was inspired by the then-president Rajendra Prasad's suggestion. Kamala Sohonie received the Rashtrapati Award for this work.
Early life
Kamala Sohonie (née Bhagvat) was born on 18 June 1911 in Indore, now in Madhya Pradesh, India. Her father, Narayanarao Bhagvat, as well as her uncle, Madhavrao Bhagvat, were chemists and alumni of the erstwhile Tata Institute of Sciences (which later became the Indian Institute of Science) in Bengaluru. Kamala followed 'family tradition' and graduated in 1933 with a BSc degree in Chemistry (principal) and Physics (subsidiary) from Mumbai University.
Kamala then applied to the Indian Institute of Science for a research fellowship, but her application was turned down by the then-Director and Nobel Laureate Prof. C V Raman on the grounds that women were not considered competent enough to pursue research. Kamala responded to the rejection by holding a 'satyagraha' outside Prof. C V .Raman's office, which persuaded him to grant her admission, but with some stipulations:
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