Radical Spirits: India's First Woman Doctor and Her American Champions

"In the company of a brave and determined young woman, Radical Spirits takes us to the fraught social and religious frontier between two cultures, India and America in the late 1800s. The journey makes for a captivating story, every page granting insights into the age-old struggle to surmount entrenched borders and barriers."
— Robert Kanigel, author of The Man Who Knew Infinity and Eyes on the Street

In 1883, an eighteen-year-old Indian woman named Anandi Joshee sailed alone from Calcutta to New York with the goal of becoming a doctor. At the time there were no schools for girls in India. Also, the few doctors (who were all male) were not permitted to treat female patients. Having witnessed the suffering of women, Anandi hoped to help create a culture that saw women as deserving and capable of equality with men.

Anandi faced critics in India and skeptics in America. Her mentor was her husband Gopal, who tutored her at home and fostered her ambition. Her unexpected champion was Theodocia Carpenter, a New Jersey housewife who initiated a three year correspondence, offering "all possible help."

With her determination and grace, Anandi won the support of all — Indians, Americans, as well as British — who crossed her path. Three thousand supporters attended her 1886 graduation from the Woman's Medical College in Philadelphia.

Using original letters, university archives, and newspaper accounts, "Radical Spirits" draws a textured portrait of British India and post-Civil War America. Exploring the relationships that Indian, British and American individuals forged by bridging cultural, political, and class boundaries is sure to be a rich and rewarding experience.