In today’s doodle, Google celebrates the 155th birth anniversary of Kamini Roy, the Bengali poet, educator, and activist, who was also the first woman to graduate with honors in British India.
Kamini was known for her work in advocating for women’s rights and was actively involved in feminism in the Indian subcontinent.
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Born in 1864 to an elite family in Bakergunj district of the Bengal Presidency, Kamini had a passion for mathematics but then decided to pursue Sanskrit. She got a bachelor of arts degree with honours in the language from Bethune College in 1886 and also taught there.
Kamini had also begun writing from her younger years. In 1889, she published Alo O Chhaya, her first book of poems. While at Bethune, she met Abala Bose, who was also known for her work in the upliftment of women and women’s education.
In her later years, Kamini worked towards allowing women in Bengal the right to vote and thanks to her efforts, women could exercise their franchise in the 1926 Indian general election. She was the recipient of the Jagattarini Gold Medal by the Calcutta University. She died in 1933.