The Journey from the Veil to the Tassel: The Progression of Female Higher Education in Britain with a Focus on Medical Education and the Influence of India During the Late Nineteenth Century, Noor-e Islam

This article will discuss a poem written by Krishnabhabini Das, first published in Calcutta in 1885. The poem selected reveals a desperately emotive account of Krishnabhabini’s inner struggles concerning her maiden
voyage to England. The poem imparts Krishnabhabini’s erroneous perception of the nature of female educational emancipation in Britain. Her poem will be juxtaposed with a newspaper article published in
London in 1889 documenting the first English lady doctor, Mary Scharlieb who successfully passed the M.D. examination of the University of London, yet, achieved her primary medical qualification in India. This
article will discuss the nature and development of female university education, particularly medical education, and the role of India.