The story of Kamala Sohonie is an ever inspiring one when we learn how she broke all the gender norms that existed in the pre-independence India to become the first Indian woman to obtain a PhD in science.
Dr. Kamala Sohonie (née Bhagvat) was a pioneering Indian biochemist whose determination, academic excellence, and scientific contributions helped break gender barriers in Indian science. She is widely recognised as the first Indian woman to earn a PhD in a scientific discipline, a milestone achieved in 1939 when she completed her doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Kamala Sohonie was born in 1911 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, into a family with a strong scientific background. Her father, Narayanarao Bhagvat, and her uncle, Madhavrao Bhagvat, were both qualified chemists from IISc Bangalore, and this early exposure to science helped spark her interest in the field. She studied chemistry and physics at Bombay University like both of them, graduating in 1933 at the top of her class.
After her degree, Sohonie sought admission to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru for postgraduate research in biochemistry. Initially, her application was rejected by the institute’s director, Nobel laureate C. V. Raman, first Asian Nobel laureate in Physics, on the basis that women were not considered fit for research positions at the time.
He argued that women candidates would distract the fellow male scientists and women were not competent enough for the position. Rather than accept this decision, Sohonie persistently protested, meeting with the director face-to-face and advocating for her admission. Her persistence eventually led to temporary entry, under restrictive conditions that required her to prove her scientific merit. She was reportedly only allowed to use laboratory after other students left.
Despite the discriminatory conditions, including one year probation and limitations on her access to certain facilities, Sohonie excelled in her research, demonstrating her competence and laying the groundwork for women’s broader acceptance at IISc.
During Dr. Sohonie’s post graduate work, she worked on proteins in milk, pulses and legumes, and was the first to work on pulse proteins which had significant implications for the malnourished in India. She subsequently completed and received her MSc with distinction in 1936.
From the following year onward, the institute began admitting more female students.
In 1937, Sohonie won a scholarship to study at Cambridge University, where she conducted biochemistry research under prominent scientists like Dr. Derek Ritcher and Dr. Robin Hill. During her doctoral studies, she worked on plant tissue enzymes, particularly cytochrome c, a protein crucial to cellular respiration or electron transport chain for energy production. Remarkably, she completed her PhD thesis in 14 months, and in 1939 earned her doctorate, becoming the first Indian woman to receive a PhD in a scientific discipline.
Upon returning to India in 1939, Kamala Sohonie held several significant research and academic positions:
Professor and Head of Biochemistry at Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi.
Assistant Director at the Nutrition Research Laboratory in Coonoor, where she focused on the effects of vitamins and nutrition on humas.
Professor of Biochemistry at the Royal Institute of Science in Mumbai, where she continued research on the nutritional properties of food staples.
One of her notable research achievements involved studying Neera, a sweet palm nectar traditionally consumed in parts of India. At the suggestion of then-President Rajendra Prasad, she investigated its nutritional content and found significant levels of vitamin C, iron, and other micronutrients. Her work showed that Neera and its derivatives (such as palm jaggery and molasses) could serve as inexpensive dietary supplements to help combat malnutrition among children and pregnant women, a finding with implications for public health nutrition.
For her contributions to nutrition science, she was honoured with the Rashtrapati Award, one of India’s prestigious recognitions for scientific achievement.
In addition to her research, Sohonie played an active role in advancing women’s roles in science. She became the Director of the Royal Institute of Science in Mumbai, though her appointment was reportedly delayed due to prevailing gender bias in scientific institutions.
She was also deeply involved with the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) and wrote on topics related to consumer safety and scientific literacy. She served as President of CGSI for 1982–83, contributing to public advocacy beyond her laboratory work.
Kamala Sohonie passed away on 28 June 1998 in New Delhi, shortly after collapsing at a ceremony organised by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Her legacy lives on as a pioneering role model for women in science in India. In 2023, Google honoured her with a commemorative Doodle on her 112th birth anniversary, highlighting her life and achievements.
