Tanmoy Deb

Dr Kadambini Ganguli (nee Bose) was born on 18 July 1861 to Braja Kishore Bose at Bhagalpur in British India. Her father was a school teacher and an ardent follower of Brahmo Samaj ideals. The family originally hailed from Barisal (now in Bangladesh).

Kadambini received English education at Brahmo Eden Female School. Thereafter, she joined Hindu Mahila Vidyalaya, Ballygunj, Calcutta (now Kolkata). The school was later merged with Bethune School in 1878. She was the first woman to pass the entrance exam of Calcutta University. She passed FA exam (First Arts) in 1880. She and Chandramukhi Bose have the distinction of becoming the first female graduates (BA) in undivided British India from Bethune College in 1883. Chandramukhi Bose later became the first female postgraduate (MA) of Calcutta University.

At the convocation of Calcutta University, the then Vice Chancellor, Sir Alexandra Arbuthnot said, “I must not omit to mention a circumstance which is interesting and important, I refer to the fact of the senate passed rule for fee examination of female candidates, under the operation of which one Hindu young lady educated at the Bethune School, passed the entrance examination with great credit. The young lady, to whom I refer, Kadambini Bose, obtained very high marks in Bengali, tolerable marks in history and even in exact sciences which is not usually considered to be congenial to the female intellect, she acquitted herself creditably.” (Minutes of Calcutta University, 1878-79, pp. 110)…read more on NOPR