On #EngineersDay we pay tribute to India's first woman electrical engineer - A. Lalitha.

She was widowed early at the age of 18 with a young daughter to take care of. Medicine was popular for women, but required round the clock availability. Lalitha needed to be with her child.

Her father, Prof Rao, a professor at the Electrical Engineering department at College of Engineering Guindy, pushed her case as a student.

The principal, director and fellow students were extremely supportive of her.

She started her studies in 1940 and though she was comfortable with the course, she conveyed that she felt lonely in the hostel.

CEG advertised open admissions and 2 more women Leelamma George and PK Thresia joined Civil Engineering.

When Lalitha graduated, CEG had to modify their Engineering certificate and removed the word - HE.

Lalitha started getting international recognition. In this photo we see that she was invited to the first International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists in New York.

Lalitha sadly passed away at the young age of 60, but has left behind a legacy for women engineers to look up to.

You can read more about India's pioneering women engineers in a book by @ShanthaRMohan.

To read more about Lalitha - refer to this article by @thebetterindia

https://www.thebetterindia.com/185532/india-first-woman-engineer-a-lalitha-inspiring-history/

#EngineersDay #EngineersDay2020