On the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of Dr Kamal, Google gives a tribute.
Google, Doodles Today: Google celebrates the 104th birth anniversary of Indian cell biologist Dr Kamal Ranadive with a meticulously-crafted doodle. Dr Ranadive is known for her groundbreaking cancer research and dedication to creating a more equitable society through science and education.
The doodle shows Ranadive looking at a microscope, which was illustrated by India-based guest artist Ibrahim Rayintakath.
Kamal Samarath, better known as Kamal Ranadive, was born on this day in 1917 in Pune. Her father's encouragement to pursue a medical education inspired Ranadive to excel academically, but she found her calling in biology instead.
In 1949, she received a doctorate in cytology, the study of cells, while working as a researcher in the Indian Cancer Research Center (ICRC). After a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, she returned to Mumbai (then Bombay) and the ICRC, where she established the country's first tissue culture laboratory.
Later, Kamal was the director of the ICRC and a pioneer in animal modelling of cancer development. She was among the first researchers in India to propose a link between breast cancer and heredity and to identify the links between cancers and certain viruses.
Ranadive fervently encouraged students and Indian scholars abroad to return to India and put their knowledge to work for their communities. After retiring in 1989, Dr Ranadive worked in rural communities in Maharashtra, training women as healthcare workers and providing health and nutrition education.
Moreover, she studied Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy, and aided in developing a vaccine.
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