As the first female Surgeon General in India, Mary Poonen Lukose transformed clinical practice within the princely state of Travancore. Born in 1886 to a medical family in Aymanam, she navigated significant institutional barriers to secure a career in medicine, eventually managing dozens of state-run hospitals and dispensaries while advancing surgical care for women and children.
Academic and Early Medical Training
Mary Poonen Lukose graduated with a BA in history from University College Thiruvananthapuram in 1909 after being denied admission to science subjects due to her gender. Seeking professional training in medicine, she traveled to obtain an MBBS from London University. She further specialized in gynecology and obstetrics at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin and completed advanced training in pediatrics at the Great Ormond Street Hospital. During this period, she also pursued music studies and passed the London Music Examination.
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Returning to India in 1916, Lukose began her career as an obstetrician and superintendent at the Women and Children Hospital in Thycaud, Thiruvananthapuram. Despite initial resistance to her appointment, she successfully argued for equal pay with European staff. Before 1920, she performed the first Caesarean section in Travancore, often working under the limited illumination of hurricane lamps. She also implemented a midwifery training program to improve local medical support.
Legislative and Administrative Leadership
In 1922, Lukose became the first woman legislator in the state of Travancore when nominated to the Sree Chitra State Council, serving until 1937. By 1938, she reached the position of Surgeon General, overseeing 32 government hospitals, 40 dispensaries, and 20 private institutions. Under her leadership, she founded the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Nagarcoil and the X-Ray and Radium Institute in Thiruvananthapuram. Her commitment to public service extended to founding the YWCA chapter in Thiruvananthapuram in 1918 and holding the position of Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides in India.
Family and Final Years
In 1917, she married the lawyer Kunnukuzhiyil Kurivilla Lukose. They had two children, Grace and K. P. Lukose. Both her husband and children preceded her in death. In 1975, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri for her contributions to medicine. She also received the title Vaidyasasthrakusala from Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. Lukose died on 2 October 1976 at the age of 90.
Fast facts
- Born: 1886, Aymanam
- Died: 1976, Thiruvananthapuram
- Education: University College Thiruvananthapuram, University of Madras
- First female Surgeon General in India
- First woman legislator in Travancore
- Founded Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Nagarcoil
- Founded X-Ray and Radium Institute
- Awarded Padma Shri: 1975
Questions readers ask
What specific medical milestones is she known for?
She performed the first Caesarean section in Travancore and served as the first female Surgeon General in India.
Did she hold positions outside of clinical medicine?
Yes, she was the first woman legislator in the state of Travancore and served as the founder president of the YWCA chapter in Thiruvananthapuram.
