Four Asian Women Honored on Venus

Venus is known as the planet for women. It is a “twin” of the planet we live on as it is of the same mass and size as Earth. In 1991, scientists studying Venus with the Magellan spacecraft proposed that these craters be named after famous women. What a splendid idea! After all, Venus is the goddess of love and beauty as well as a symbol of feminine power.
Thirteen women from the medical field are honored by having a crater named after them on Venus, four of whom are from Asia.

Anandibai Joshee lived a very short yet remarkable life.
She was a child bride who, at the tender age of 9, was given to a man who was 20 years her senior.
When she was 14, Anandi gave birth to a boy, but he only lived ten days. This unfortunate fate ignited her interest in learning about premature infant death and women’s health.

Fortunately for Anandi, her husband was a progressive thinker from the Brahmin caste, and he supported her education and even encouraged her to learn English.
A combination of Anandibai’s innate intelligence and support from various sources enabled her to travel to America and enter the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania.
She was the first woman from India to receive a medical degree from America, which she achieved at the age of 19.
Dr. Joshee’s accomplishment was widely celebrated, and even Queen Victoria of England sent her a congratulatory letter.
Anandibai received a hero’s welcome upon her return and was immediately given an appointment to be the physician-in-charge of the female ward at the prestigious
Albert Edward Hospital in Kolhapur.

Ironically, Dr. Joshee’s intense desire and energy to become a physician took a heavy toll on her health, and she died from complications of tuberculosis at 22.
The entire country mourned her passing.

Yoshioka Yayoi is famous for establishing the first medical clinic for women in Japan, but she is also a trailblazer in other ways, even by modern-day standards.

She was one of the first women in Japan to have a dual-career marriage, which was completely unheard of at that time for Japanese women.
Her husband, a German language teacher, founded his own language academy, and Yoshioka opened her medical clinic right across the street from him.
Their home became a meeting place for young Tokyo women eager to follow in her footsteps and establish their own professional careers.
Never mind that she was strong enough to challenge social conventions, but her marriage was also very happy and prosperous.

Dr. Yayoi was the president of the Tokyo Women’s Medical Institute (today, Tokyo Women’s Medical University), where she educated more than 7,000 women doctors.
In addition to her work as a physician and educator, she was also very active in government organizations.
In 1955, she received the Fujin Bunka Sho, the highest award given to women in Japan.

Dr Jerusha Jhirad belonged to the Bene Israel community, which traced its history in India to the 12th century.
According to legend, the Bene was one of the lost tribes of Israel, shipwrecked off the Konkan Coast, located south of Bombay.

From the age of 11, Jerusha wanted to become a physician. So she pursued her dream tirelessly by first becoming a star student who won many scholarships and prizes,
including being the first woman to be awarded a scholarship by the India Government to study in the United Kingdom.
In 1914, she headed to England and attended the London School of Medicine for Women.
1919, she secured her MD in obstetrics and gynecology, being the first Indian woman to do so, and is mentioned among the notable graduates of LSMW.

The British awarded her the MBE (Member of the British Empire) (Civil). She was honored with Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1966.
She was a very revered person in India and an icon for all women

Dr. Jerusha Jhirad died in 1983 at the age of 93. In the words of Abigail Jhirad (her niece), Jerusha indeed led an exciting life and was an extraordinary person.
She never spent on luxury for herself and not only served others as a doctor but also gave away her money and belongings.

Sadly, very little is known about Dr. Shih Mei-yu. (also known as Mary Stone).

Her father, Shek Nga, was one of the first Christian priests in central China. He encouraged her to study medicine.
Apparently, he wanted his daughter to emulate Katharine Bushnell, a doctor, missionary to China, and activist for women's equality.

Shih Mei-yu studied at the Methodist girls’ school in China and did well enough to be accepted to the University of Michigan, where she received her doctorate in 1896.
She also studied at Johns Hopkins University.
Upon her return to China, Dr. Shih (also widely known as Dr. Mary Stone) was instrumental in establishing a system to train nurses,
and was also involved in starting many hospitals, schools, and churches throughout China.

After WWII, she moved to California, where she died in 1954 at 81.