First women Allopathic Doctor and Surgeon of Kerala.

Dr. Ayathan Janaki Ammal: The First Woman Allopathic Doctor and Surgeon of Kerala and the first Malayali Women to become a Doctor.

Name: Dr. Ayathan Janaki Ammal
Born: 1878
Died: 1945
Field of study: Allopathic system of Medicine.
Qualification: Licensed Medical Practitioner and Surgery (LMS), Madras Medical College (1907)
Regions Served: Malabar, Calicut(Kozhikode) and Cochin Provinces, British India
Family: Ayathan Family 
Profession: Physician and Government Surgeon.
Known For: First qualified female doctor and surgeon in all of Kerala in Allopathic system of Medicine.

Early Life and Education:-
Dr. Ayathan Janaki Ammal was born in 1878 into the Thiyya community in Malabar, in what is now the state of Kerala. She pursued medical education at the prestigious Madras Medical College, one of the earliest and most prominent medical institutions in British India.

In 1907, she successfully completed her LMP (Licensed Medical Practitioner) degree, a recognized and legitimate medical qualification under the British Indian medical system. This allowed her to officially practice medicine as a doctor and surgeon.

Pioneering Medical Career:-

After her graduation in 1907, Dr. Janaki Ammal began her career as a government-appointed medical officer. She worked in various government hospitals across Malabar and Cochin, regions that today fall within the boundaries of Kerala.

She was known for her dedication to women's healthcare and public service, and was one of the earliest Indian women to serve in such a professional and public capacity. Her service was recognized by the colonial government and local administration.

First Female (Women) Doctor and Surgeon of Kerala:-
In the historical context of British India, LMP and LMS degrees were the main forms of medical education available to Indian citizens. The MBBS degree was not commonly accessible to Indians, especially women, until much later.
Dr. Ayathan Janaki Ammal earned her medical qualification eight years before Dr. Mary Poonen Lukose, who in turn obtained her MBBS from London and returned to India only in 1916, and practised afterwards in only Travancore province, Dr. Janaki Ammal was the first woman in all of Kerala to be medically qualified and practice as a doctor and surgeon all over Kerala, that made her distinct from others.

Legacy and Recognition:-
Despite her groundbreaking role, Dr. Ayathan Janaki Ammal has remained under-recognized in the mainstream historical narrative of Kerala’s medical pioneers. However, based on verified historical timelines and educational structures of colonial India:
Dr. Ayathan Janaki Ammal holds the distinction of being the first female allopathic doctor and surgeon of Kerala, having qualified in 1907 and served in key regions of the state long before MBBS degrees became widely accessible to Indian women.

Her story is essential in understanding the broader landscape of women’s education, healthcare, and social advancement in South India during British rule.

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