Google Doodle celebrates 133rd birth anniversary of Dr Muthulakshmi Reddi  

Google India is celebrating educator, lawmaker, surgeon, and reformer Dr Muthulakshmi Reddi’s 133rd birthday with its doodle. The doodle has been created by Bangalore-based Archana Sreenivasan.

Reddi devoted her life to public health and the cause of gender equality. She worked to change the lives of several people, especially young girls.

She was born on July 30, 1883 in Tamil Nadu, Reddi became the first woman to work as a surgeon in a government hospital and the first female legislator in history of British India.

In a very young young age, Reddi rebelled against her parents' plan for her early marriage and instead convinced them to allow her to study further. Reddi went on to become the first female student to be admitted to an all-boys school, Maharaja College.

Reddi was faced with threats by students asking her to leave the school but she went on to win a scholarship and graduated with honors. She was also the first female student at Madras Medical College.

After her successful run as a medical practitioner, she joined the Madras Legislative Council in her bid to work in the direction of raising the legal age of marriage and fighting against exploitation of girls.

She was married to doctor Sundara Reddi in 1914 on the understanding that he would treat her as an equal. Reddi supported Gandhi’s efforts for independence of the country alongside her battle against gender inequality and work for the upliftment of women.

Reddi had established the Adayar Cancer Institute in 1954 after losing a sister to deadly disease.

The Government of India awarded her the Padma Bhushan in 1956 in recognition of her service to the country.