Muthulakshmi Reddy—A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women's Rights is the story of a pioneer path-creator for women. She was the first girl student in Maharaja’s School for Boys in Pudukkottai, the first Indian woman surgeon from Madras Medical College, the first Indian member of the Women’s Indian Association, the first woman member of legislature of Madras Presidency, the first woman deputy speaker and the first alderwoman.
In this book, the author describes the indomitable spirit of a woman who campaigned to get rid of the practice of wet nurses, fought for girls’ education and widow remarriage, equal property rights for women, education reform, and rural healthcare for women. She took up the case of getting the practice of dedicating young girls as Devadasis, abolished.
This monograph describes how Dr Reddy established Avvai Home for poor and destitute girls, from where thousands have graduated and found their feet. Thereafter, following a successful career as a specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics, she founded the Cancer Institute in Adyar, Chennai, which has grown to be an iconic hospital for cancer treatment throughout Asia.
Feedback
V R Devika's biography of Muthulakshmi Reddy brings to life not just the story of India's first female student in a medical college. She was a trailblazer in many other ways.
I read the book 'Muthulakshmi Reddy - A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women's Rights' by V.R. Devika and I have to say it was a highly engaging biography that was simple to read and process. Those of us who know Dr. Devika are aware of the hard work that she has put in for this book, the research for which began about four decades ago. Having attended many of her online talks, I was already quite well informed on Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy and this book provided a more extensive view of things I had pondered about while listening to Dr. Devika.
In Muthulakshmi Reddy: A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women’s Rights, the writer, V.R. Devika, calls Muthulakshmi “a pioneer path creator for women.” Holding a Ph.D. on Gandhian communication strategies, Devika is sensitised enough to chronicle in a simple straight-forward style the life of Muthulakshmi, an unsung feminist who dared to storm male bastions in medicine and other fields. Devika wrote Ward 10 — Remembering Rangabashyam in 2016, about another illustrious gastroenterologist, born in Tiruvannamalai, who rose above the accepted norms in surgery, and like Muthulakshmi worked tirelessly to raise the standards of medicine and alleviated the sufferings of the poor.
A cultural activist herself, Devika describes Muthulakshmi’s foray into creating a secure space for Devadasis who were looked down upon by a conservative society. Avvai Home in Adyar was established first as an educational institution for Devadasis. The well-researched book reveals a slew of facts mostly forgotten, profiling her tireless work in fighting the caste system, detonating prejudices that surround a woman in a male-dominated society.
VR Devika writes a magnificent tale of a woman born in the devadasi community, who is indeed a trailblazer (as the title promises) across several journeys — including the first woman to become a surgeon to an activist for women rights, to battle a conservative patriarchy, and to join and walk along with thinkers and leaders such as Gandhi and Annie Besant.
"An important contribution to the history of dance, medicine, and feminism for the general reader. An interesting and touching book!"
Eero Hameenniemi, celebrated Finnish music composer and author
"This inspiring book is good for giving as prizes and as a motivational gift."
Mala Pandurang
Principal, Dr BMN College, Mumbai
"A story that had to be told the way the author has done -- simple, straight, informative, and just the right size. All libraries out to get this -- so too all educational institutions."
Narayani Ganesh
Talks & Podcasts about the Book by the Author
Join author VR Devika and host Ayushi Mona as they describe the indomitable spirit of a woman who campaigned to get rid of the practice of wet nurses, fought for girls’ education and widow remarriage, equal property rights for women, education reform, and rural healthcare for women.
Borderless Journal: A conversation with VR Devika, author of Muthulakshmi Reddy: A Trailblazer in Surgery and Women’s Rights, Niyogi Books.
Author VR Devika in conversation with dancer Apoorva Jayaraman in READance
Author VR Devika in conversation with Charanya Gurusathya of ICDA
Articles on the Book by the Author
