New Delhi: If you see Google today, you will see a picture of a woman in a sari who is also putting a stethoscope. Behind the woman in the picture, you will also look after some nurses in a hospital to look after the patients. This woman is none other than Dr. Rukmabai Rout, also known as Rukmabai Raut. Today is the 153rd Birthday of Rukmabai Raut. On this occasion, Google has dedicated a special doodle to them. Rukmabai Raut was one of the earliest practicing doctors of British India, during that time when rights for women, especially Indian women were rarely given in some way.

Rukmabai Raut was born in Mumbai on November 22, 1864. He was married to ‘Dadaji Bhikaji’ (19), at the age of 11. Child marriages were common among Indians at that time.

Rukmabai’s mother also had a child marriage. When he was 14, he was married, at the age of 15, he gave birth to Rukmabai, and at the age of 17, he became a widow. Rukmabai did not stay with her husband after her marriage, Rukmabai stayed in her parents’ house and continued her studies. Rukmabai soon made a big decision that he does not want to stay in the relationship with grandfather.

Due to this, in March 1884, Dadaji filed a petition in the Bombay High Court to restore the husband’s marital rights to his wife, that Rukhmabai should come and stay with her. The court asked Rukmabai to abide by the rights otherwise he would go to jail. Rukmabai, naturally, refused. Rukmabai argued that she does not consider this marriage because she could not give her consent at that age. This argument was never heard before in any court. With his logic, Rukmabai compelled people to pay attention to this through the press in the 1880s. This is the case in which the information about many social reformers including Ramabai Ranade and Behramji Malabari came in.

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