How Kamala Sohonie Opened The Door For Indian Women In Scientific Research| Women's Day 2025

"I can never forget the way he treated me just because I was a woman. Even then, he didn't admit me as a regular student. This was a great insult to me. The bias against women was so bad at that time. What can one expect if even a Nobel Laureate behaves in such a way?" – Kamala Bhagavat Sohonie at Indian Women Scientists’ Association (IWSA).

It's taken women in India a long time to pave a way for themselves in male-dominated industries. As we continue to fight for parity, we are reminded of the fight put up by Kamala Sohonie, the first Indian woman to earn a PhD.

Sohonie was born in Indore to a family of well-known chemists. Following the footsteps of her father and uncle, Kamala graduated in 1933 with a BSc degree in Chemistry and Physics from Bombay University.

After her time at Bombay University, Sohonie applied for a research fellowship at IISc Bangalore. Despite her BSc and background in science, Kamala's application was rejected by CV Raman, the Indian physicist and Nobel Laureate .

Why? Because she was a woman.

Finding CV Raman's decision unacceptable, Sohonie applied her Gandhian principles and carried out a satyagraha outside the then-Director's office.

Following this move, CV Raman granted her admission into IISc Bangalore-- but this admission came with certain terms and conditions.

As per Raman, Sohonie was not to be admitted as a regular student and would be on probation for the first year of her fellowship.

Furthermore, all her work were not to be officially recognised until CV Raman himself was satisfied. Another reason why she was admitted with such conditions was so that her presence did not "distract male researchers."

Despite the humiliating admission, Sohonie became the first woman to be admitted to IISc Bangalore, and paved the way for other female students.

Sohonie At IISc And The Road To The PhD

During her stint in the leading institution, Kamala Sohonie worked under Sri Srinivasayya. After a year of hard work, Kamala was allowed regular research in biochemistry.

Her growth, sincerity and discipline prompted Professor Raman to admit more women at IISc Bangalore.

At IISc, Sohonie worked on proteins in milk, pulses and legumes, making her the first person in the country to work on pulse proteins. She submitted her research to Bombay University and earned her Masters in Science degree.

Following this, she joined Cambridge University in the UK and worked with Dr Derik Richter. Dr Richter offered Sohonie his "spare table" during the day for her to work.

After Richter, she went on to work under Dr Robin Hill, who was conducting similar research but on plant protein.

During this work, Sohonie discovered the presence of "cytochrome C” and that this is involved in oxidation in all plant cells.

She submitted a short thesis covering her findings for her PhD degree. With just 14 months of research and 40 pages for a thesis, Sohonie earned her doctorate, making her the first Indian woman to be conferred with the title of a PhD.

Return To India

After earning her PhD, Sohonie returned to India, where she started work at Lady Hardinage College in 1939 as a professor and the head of the newly opened Department of Biochemistry

After her marriage in 1947, Kamala moved to Mumbai, where she worked as a professor of biochemistry at the (Royal) Institute of Science in Bombay.

During her stint there, she worked on the nutritional aspects of neera (palm nectar), which was based on a suggestion from former President Rajendra Prasad.

Along with neera, other subjects of her research included legumes proteins and pulses, which are all relevant to Indian societal needs.

Despite her contribution to the field of Science at the Royal Institute, Sohonie was kept away from the post of Director for four years. When she was given the post, she made history as the first female director of the Royal Institute of Science in Bombay.

Sohonie, who passed away in 1998, truly paved the way for women in the field of scientific research in India.

Women In Academia - Where Does India Stand?

Sohonie's determination and dedication to research opened the door for women to be admitted and pursue research at renowned Indian institutions.

Despite being an advocate for women's education, CV Raman remained hesitant to admit women. However, after Kamala Sohonie, he proceeded to admit three more women into his lab at IISc.

As per IISc Bangalore 's archives, the late 1930s and 1940s saw the entry of a few women into IISc, which prompted the institute to develop infrastructure for women, such as hostels and toilets.

India may have come a long way since the 1940s, but it still has miles to go.

As per the numbers from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), in 2021-2, India saw a spike in female enrolment at higher education institutions as compared to 2012-13.

Based on the AISHE report, the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for women increased from 20.1 percent to 28.5 percent, especially in the age group of 18 to 23 years.

However, despite the increase in female enrolment, an AISHE report for 2021-22 states that of the 16 lakh Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant Professors, Demonstrators, Temporary Teachers and Visiting Teachers, only 43 percent are female.

AISHE reports further add that from 2011-12 to 2021-22, there has been an increase of around four percent when it comes to female academicians. With a long road ahead to gender parity, the societal perceptions in India continue to serve as obstacles for women, especially in academia, which is often known for its long gruelling hours, competitive environments and long work hours.