This Women’s History Month, we’re giving Dr. Anandibai Joshee her birthday flowers—and we need your help!
It’s our mission to make sure the world knows Anandibai’s story. As the first South Asian woman to become a physician—in 1886, when it was rare for girls to learn to read and write, much less attend university—her extraordinary life and defiance of societal expectations deserve recognition.
How to Get Involved
For her birthday this March 31st, we invite you to celebrate Anandibai Joshee Day with us. How to join? It’s simple:
- Wear your Anandibai T-Shirt out and about on March 31st and send us a picture! Make sure to tag us on Instagram @saadaorg or email us at spotlight@saada.org so we can repost and create a compilation of our community celebrating Anandibai’s story all across the country.
- Don’t have a t-shirt yet? Use code AJDAY for a special 10% discount at SAADA Spotlight ☀️, or the link below. All proceeds will go towards funding our upcoming animated film about Anandibai’s life. To ensure timely shipping, please place your order by March 20th.
- Follow us on Instagram @saadaorg as we share more of Anandibai’s story throughout the weeks leading up to her birthday.
Through this initiative, we hope to share Anandibai’s story more widely and raise awareness for trailblazing South Asian Americans whose stories are far too often overlooked. We think of the archive as an opportunity to give our community their flowers: when our stories are preserved, we are able to celebrate journeys of resilience, recognizing both joy and struggle.
Save the date, and join us in giving Dr. Anandibai Joshee her flowers this March 31st!
Who is Anandibai Joshee?
It’s likely you’ll get asked about who is on your shirt. Here is more about Anandibai’s story and what makes her so extraordinary:
Additional Resources
To learn more, explore our resources below:
- Watch our Timeline Video of Anandibai Joshee’s life
- Explore our Anandibai Joshee archival collection
- Bring Anandibai’s story in your classroom with our lesson plan
- Listen to Red, a song inspired by Anandibai’s story by singer-songwriter Anju
- Read more in A Fragmented Feminism: The Life and Letters of Anandibai Joshee by Meera Kosambi