Back in the 19th century, women were supposed to stay home and learn cooking and needlework -- but some dared to fight the odds and get an education. Some even became doctors. Kavitha Rao joins Amit Varma in episode 235 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her new book on six pioneering lady doctors. Also discussed: the craft of writing and storytelling, and the endless possibility for late bloomers.  Also check out: 1. Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India's First Women in Medicine -- Kavitha Rao. 2. Kavitha Rao's other books on Amazon. 3. I grew up as an Indian expat in Iran, before the revolution -- Kavitha Rao. 4. The Memoirs of Dr Haimabati Sen -- Haimabati Sen (translated by Tapan Raychoudhuri). 5. Crossing Thresholds -- Meera Kosambi. 6. A Fragmented Feminism -- Meera Kosambi. 7. The Art of Narrative Nonfiction -- Episode 183 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Samanth Subramanian). 8. Following Fish -- Samanth Subramanian. 9. A Dominant Character -- Samanth Subramanian. 10. Killers of the Flower Moon -- David Grann. 11. The Squid Hunter -- David Grann. 12. David Grann in the New Yorker. 13. Our Colorful Past -- Episode 127 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 14. Kerala and the Ivory Throne -- Episode 156 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 15. The Deccan Before Shivaji -- Episode 98 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 16. Manu Pillai's books on Amazon. 17. Women in Indian History -- Episode 144 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ira Mukhoty). 18. Ira Mukhoty's books on Amazon. 19. Young India -- Episode 83 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Snigdha Poonam). 20. Dreamers: How Young Indians Are Changing Their World -- Snigdha Poonam. 21. Bad Blood -- John Carreyrou. 22. 52..  23. Collision -- Bhavya Dore. 24. The #MeToo Movement -- Episode 90 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Supriya Nair and Nikita Saxena). 25. Yentl -- Directed by Barbra Streisand (Wikipedia link). 26. The Gate of Angels -- Penelope Fitzgerald. 27. The Blue Flower -- Penelope Fitzgerald. 28. The Bookshop -- Penelope Fitzgerald. 29. How Social Media Threatens Society -- Episode 8 of Brave New World, hosted by Vasant Dhar, featuring Jonathan Haidt. 30. The BJP Before Modi -- Episode 202 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Vinay Sitapati). 31. Superior -- Angela Saini. 32. Modeling Covid-19 -- Episode 224 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Gautam Menon).  Please subscribe to The India Uncut Newsletter. It’s free!  And check out Amit’s online course, The Art of Clear Writing.

Back in the 19th century, women were supposed to stay home and learn cooking and needlework -- but some dared to fight the odds and get an education. Some even became doctors. Kavitha Rao joins Amit Varma in episode 235 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss her new book on six pioneering lady doctors. Also discussed: the craft of writing and storytelling, and the endless possibility for late bloomers. Also check out: 1. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Lady-Doctors-Untold-Stories-Medicine-ebook/dp/B096VSSN2F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27P4W2Q8T96B1&keywords=lady+doctors+kavitha+rao&qid=1627265673&smid=AT95IG9ONZD7S&sprefix=lady+doctor%2Caps%2C270&sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Lady-Doctors-Untold-Stories-Medicine-ebook/dp/B096VSSN2F/ref%3Dsr_1_1?crid%3D27P4W2Q8T96B1%26keywords%3Dlady%2Bdoctors%2Bkavitha%2Brao%26qid%3D1627265673%26smid%3DAT95IG9ONZD7S%26sprefix%3Dlady%2Bdoctor%252Caps%252C270%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868719000&usg=AFQjCNE5ku4-n838Hgm5GBZ2KdSoWGsoaw">Lady Doctors: The Untold Stories of India's First Women in Medicine</a> -- Kavitha Rao. 2. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AKavitha+Rao&s=relevancerank&text=Kavitha+Rao&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/s?i%3Ddigital-text%26rh%3Dp_27%253AKavitha%2BRao%26s%3Drelevancerank%26text%3DKavitha%2BRao%26ref%3Ddp_byline_sr_ebooks_1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHWDazJzDTjSdTljIPt-CHLiPS4Dg">Kavitha Rao's other books</a> on Amazon. 3. <a href="https://qz.com/india/463422/what-it-was-like-growing-up-as-an-indian-expat-in-pre-revolution-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://qz.com/india/463422/what-it-was-like-growing-up-as-an-indian-expat-in-pre-revolution-iran/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNFruHQlgrkF5R-mSbzJGR0J_ErcqA">I grew up as an Indian expat in Iran, before the revolution</a> -- Kavitha Rao. 4. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B095176V6Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o02?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B095176V6Y/ref%3Dppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o02?ie%3DUTF8%26psc%3D1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNH4bfhCfzVcuuU5ewx338mOXYIAFQ">The Memoirs of Dr Haimabati Sen</a> -- Haimabati Sen (translated by Tapan Raychoudhuri). 5. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Crossing-Thresholds-Meera-Kosambi/dp/8178243385/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=meera+kosambi&qid=1627266063&s=digital-text&sr=1-2-catcorr" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Crossing-Thresholds-Meera-Kosambi/dp/8178243385/ref%3Dsr_1_2?dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dmeera%2Bkosambi%26qid%3D1627266063%26s%3Ddigital-text%26sr%3D1-2-catcorr&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNGfxo10hjBlh7fwthlsYzzqQ9n3cQ">Crossing Thresholds</a> -- Meera Kosambi. 6. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Fragmented-Feminism-Letters-Anandibai-Joshee/dp/036746389X/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=anandibai+joshi&qid=1627266188&s=digital-text&sr=1-6-catcorr" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Fragmented-Feminism-Letters-Anandibai-Joshee/dp/036746389X/ref%3Dsr_1_6?dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Danandibai%2Bjoshi%26qid%3D1627266188%26s%3Ddigital-text%26sr%3D1-6-catcorr&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNF6LRkslwzccRJYv_bZVtxvysnBXg">A Fragmented Feminism</a> -- Meera Kosambi. 7. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/7/26/episode-183-the-art-of-narrative-nonfiction-jbs-haldane/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/7/26/episode-183-the-art-of-narrative-nonfiction-jbs-haldane/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEnq8BUuWwsICjS1ZVRg2n2fw0fqg">The Art of Narrative Nonfiction</a> -- Episode 183 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Samanth Subramanian). 8. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Following-Fish-Samanth-Subramanian-ebook/dp/B06XXYNLZ9/ref=sr_1_2?crid=Q6XN1DFHZW8M&dchild=1&keywords=samanth+subramanian&qid=1627266448&s=digital-text&sprefix=samanth+subram%2Cdigital-text%2C258&sr=1-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Following-Fish-Samanth-Subramanian-ebook/dp/B06XXYNLZ9/ref%3Dsr_1_2?crid%3DQ6XN1DFHZW8M%26dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dsamanth%2Bsubramanian%26qid%3D1627266448%26s%3Ddigital-text%26sprefix%3Dsamanth%2Bsubram%252Cdigital-text%252C258%26sr%3D1-2&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEAyV-nB_vNRVJZRPse6L7i-VZANg">Following Fish</a> -- Samanth Subramanian. 9. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Dominant-Character-Science-Politics-Haldane-ebook/dp/B081ZFTW91/ref=sr_1_1?crid=Q6XN1DFHZW8M&dchild=1&keywords=samanth+subramanian&qid=1627266448&s=digital-text&sprefix=samanth+subram%2Cdigital-text%2C258&sr=1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Dominant-Character-Science-Politics-Haldane-ebook/dp/B081ZFTW91/ref%3Dsr_1_1?crid%3DQ6XN1DFHZW8M%26dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dsamanth%2Bsubramanian%26qid%3D1627266448%26s%3Ddigital-text%26sprefix%3Dsamanth%2Bsubram%252Cdigital-text%252C258%26sr%3D1-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNH7Vub4qcinQsM9GV03BB_8IYyshQ">A Dominant Character</a> -- Samanth Subramanian. 10. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Killers-Flower-Moon-Money-Murder-ebook/dp/B0112OONZA/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=david+grann&qid=1627266526&s=digital-text&sr=1-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Killers-Flower-Moon-Money-Murder-ebook/dp/B0112OONZA/ref%3Dsr_1_2?dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Ddavid%2Bgrann%26qid%3D1627266526%26s%3Ddigital-text%26sr%3D1-2&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHWpT6UZVj5RTkooKW5xnjKRYtPqQ">Killers of the Flower Moon</a> -- David Grann. 11. <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/05/24/the-squid-hunter" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/05/24/the-squid-hunter&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNFMiO8_w5aIPWdfCrQAfS8g8G9tdQ">The Squid Hunter</a> -- David Grann. 12. <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/david-grann" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/david-grann&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHH39btghuI7--jlAsnPi2JdWpt5Q">David Grann in the New Yorker</a>. 13. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2019/7/1/episode-127-our-colorful-past/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2019/7/1/episode-127-our-colorful-past/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNFgcLFx-hRDuDOxgZwE_3x85sDrig">Our Colorful Past</a> -- Episode 127 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 14. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/1/20/episode-156-kerala-and-the-ivory-throne/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/1/20/episode-156-kerala-and-the-ivory-throne/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEFjWgtLZqm_n6U8vPMyJHMWp-n6A">Kerala and the Ivory Throne</a> -- Episode 156 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 15. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/12/10/episode-98-the-deccan-before-shivaji/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/12/10/episode-98-the-deccan-before-shivaji/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNE0rOEvhwTZqocKOr6Yeaguj5Dedw">The Deccan Before Shivaji</a> -- Episode 98 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 16. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Manu-S-Pillai/e/B07TYZY7MX?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1627266833&sr=1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Manu-S-Pillai/e/B07TYZY7MX?ref%3Dsr_ntt_srch_lnk_1%26qid%3D1627266833%26sr%3D1-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHHPhVu1Gf1kvG_VOzqCbHjpYXIug">Manu Pillai's books</a> on Amazon. 17. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2019/10/28/episode-144-women-in-indian-history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2019/10/28/episode-144-women-in-indian-history/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNFxnMWcICZ436NrvxvgPOp0Vy5J-Q">Women in Indian History</a> -- Episode 144 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Ira Mukhoty). 18. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Ira-Mukhoty/e/B06Y17JWHL?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1627266949&sr=1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Ira-Mukhoty/e/B06Y17JWHL?ref%3Dsr_ntt_srch_lnk_1%26qid%3D1627266949%26sr%3D1-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHqPauTUB23YWfG2o_ugvwd7GdMHA">Ira Mukhoty's books</a> on Amazon. 19. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/8/27/episode-83-young-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/8/27/episode-83-young-india/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHGiGzcHKlZOP3-TIchpsPP6Q9V2Q">Young India</a> -- Episode 83 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Snigdha Poonam). 20. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Dreamers-Young-Indians-Changing-Their-ebook/dp/B079527NJC/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dreamers+snigdha+poonam&qid=1627268495&sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Dreamers-Young-Indians-Changing-Their-ebook/dp/B079527NJC/ref%3Dsr_1_1?keywords%3Ddreamers%2Bsnigdha%2Bpoonam%26qid%3D1627268495%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHhYsqa1fQ0hvYh9fAKBxcG-CBHkg">Dreamers: How Young Indians Are Changing Their World</a> -- Snigdha Poonam. 21. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Bad-Blood-Secrets-Silicon-Startup-ebook/dp/B07BW911F7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bad+blood&qid=1627268528&smid=AT95IG9ONZD7S&sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Bad-Blood-Secrets-Silicon-Startup-ebook/dp/B07BW911F7/ref%3Dsr_1_1?keywords%3Dbad%2Bblood%26qid%3D1627268528%26smid%3DAT95IG9ONZD7S%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHjlFzD6wrJKMwI5T2R_wmmSJQrYQ">Bad Blood</a> -- John Carreyrou. 22. <a href="https://fiftytwo.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://fiftytwo.in/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEMdGr12pffndFoyr5M-7Bjzrpl3A">52</a>.. 23. <a href="https://fiftytwo.in/story/collision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://fiftytwo.in/story/collision/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEUeLEKtA4Z8tx7Sxxqr0x5PZ9w6w">Collision</a> -- Bhavya Dore. 24. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/10/15/episode-90-the-metoo-movement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2018/10/15/episode-90-the-metoo-movement/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHO_o4WtK2E1aMn2Ve_kL-_TClFnQ">The #MeToo Movement</a> -- Episode 90 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Supriya Nair and Nikita Saxena). 25. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yentl_(film)" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yentl_(film)&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEdxHDPZDjFfovXqOFJI-4Ha4J11A">Yentl</a> -- Directed by Barbra Streisand (Wikipedia link). 26. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Gate-Angels-Penelope-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B00BKQ02TM/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=penelope+fitzgerald&qid=1627268903&sr=8-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Gate-Angels-Penelope-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B00BKQ02TM/ref%3Dsr_1_12?keywords%3Dpenelope%2Bfitzgerald%26qid%3D1627268903%26sr%3D8-12&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNFrjCYF4j74LzAhktJRUkXk7YLgtA">The Gate of Angels</a> -- Penelope Fitzgerald. 27. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Blue-Flower-Penelope-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B00BKQ027Y/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=penelope+fitzgerald&qid=1627268903&sr=8-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Blue-Flower-Penelope-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B00BKQ027Y/ref%3Dsr_1_6?dchild%3D1%26keywords%3Dpenelope%2Bfitzgerald%26qid%3D1627268903%26sr%3D8-6&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNHxJF-oOHUy5UxAhpwf5RZHomVxyQ">The Blue Flower</a> -- Penelope Fitzgerald. 28. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Bookshop-Penelope-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B00BKQ029C/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=penelope+fitzgerald&qid=1627268903&sr=8-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Bookshop-Penelope-Fitzgerald-ebook/dp/B00BKQ029C/ref%3Dsr_1_2?keywords%3Dpenelope%2Bfitzgerald%26qid%3D1627268903%26sr%3D8-2&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNECIVMgMVgm2ZWpR_gmyRF5OCrp8Q">The Bookshop</a> -- Penelope Fitzgerald. 29. <a href="https://bravenewpodcast.com/episodes/2021/03/18/episode-8-how-social-media-threatens-society/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bravenewpodcast.com/episodes/2021/03/18/episode-8-how-social-media-threatens-society/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNFCHYqaOBXc7hT4UreIKHijFjBedQ">How Social Media Threatens Society</a> -- Episode 8 of Brave New World, hosted by Vasant Dhar, featuring Jonathan Haidt. 30. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/12/6/episode-202-the-bjp-before-modi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2020/12/6/episode-202-the-bjp-before-modi/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNH_UKMI4iMG36VAMT6itszL0TqCjg">The BJP Before Modi</a> -- Episode 202 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Vinay Sitapati). 31. <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Superior-Return-Science-Angela-Saini-ebook/dp/B07TJ2VYG7/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=angela+saini&qid=1627269170&sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.in/Superior-Return-Science-Angela-Saini-ebook/dp/B07TJ2VYG7/ref%3Dsr_1_1?keywords%3Dangela%2Bsaini%26qid%3D1627269170%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNGlF6Z8w1mm0mE8W8uivcJA4V0Veg">Superior</a> -- Angela Saini. 32. <a href="https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2021/5/9/episode-224-modeling-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://seenunseen.in/episodes/2021/5/9/episode-224-modeling-covid-19/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNGIxauOexXOyMmhpZ1v1kxMXbJazQ">Modeling Covid-19</a> -- Episode 224 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Gautam Menon). Please subscribe to <a href="https://indiauncut.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://indiauncut.substack.com/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNH_CXB9KAREfQdRRH-eBqXrVN2deQ">The India Uncut Newsletter</a>. It’s free! And check out Amit’s online course, <a href="https://indiauncut.com/clear-writing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://indiauncut.com/clear-writing/&source=gmail&ust=1627355868720000&usg=AFQjCNEd8_1w-VAFePLb8uo5MPj-zGfjeA">The Art of Clear Writing</a>.

The Seen and the Unseen, hosted by Amit Varma, features longform conversations that aim to give deep insights into the subjects being discussed. Timeless and bingeworthy.

The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma

Back in the 19th century, women were supposed to stay home and learn cooking and needlework -- but some dared to fight the odds and get an education. Some even became doctors. Kavitha Rao joins Amit Varma in episode 235 of The Seen and the Unseen to...

Advertisement