Winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award in Biography!
A sensitive look at the inner world of India’s first woman doctor, the pain and suffering she endured, and the determination that drove her remarkable and inspiring journey.
Shrabani Basu, author of “Victoria and Abdul“
… Radical Spirits takes us to the fraught social and religious frontier between two cultures, India and America in the late 1800s. The journey makes for a captivating story, every page granting insights into the age-old struggle to surmount entrenched borders and barriers.
Robert Kanigel, author of “The Man Who Knew Infinity” and “Eyes on the Street“
In 1883, eighteen-year-old Anandi Joshee sailed alone from Calcutta to New York. Having witnessed the suffering of women due to lack of medical care, she wanted to become a doctor. Through her achievement, she also hoped to help create a culture that regarded women as deserving and capable of equality with men.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of orthodox Hindu society during the British Raj and post-Civil War America. Read more
Nandini Patwardhan grew up in Mumbai and has lived in the United States for over thirty-five years. She possesses a graduate degree in Mathematics from the acclaimed Indian Institute of Technology and is a former software developer.
When writing this book, Patwardhan called upon her insider-outsider perspective in both countries she calls home. Read more
… I thoroughly enjoyed every word, and I am in awe of Patwardhan’s accomplishment. Dr. Joshee’s life story will stay with me forever. This book is a treasure for anyone interested in strong, path-breaking women.
Jyotsna Sreenivasan, author of “And Laughter Fell from the Sky” and “Aruna’s Journeys“