Sakkubai Ramachandran: Compassion in Context

Most people imagine that the choice of what to study springs from personal passion — a love for numbers, ideas, or discovery. But history shows that this decision is rarely untouched by the politics and economics of the time. Across the world, waves of educational enthusiasm have mirrored national priorities and market demands. During the Cold War, for instance, government funding for defense and space research triggered a surge in students choosing physics and engineering, seen as patriotic and prestigious. In contrast, the 1990s and 2000s saw the rise of finance, management, and computer science, reflecting globalization and the digital economy’s pull toward data, coding, and markets. Every generation’s “hot field” is a mirror of its moment and is defined as much by geopolitics and money as by intellectual curiosity.  

Against this backdrop, veterinary science seems to stand apart — often seen as a field chosen out of personal affection for animals rather than political or economic logic. The first veterinarians in India were often portrayed as compassionate caretakers rather than participants in a nation’s development story. Sakkubai Ramachandran, the first woman in India to earn a bachelor’s degree in veterinary science, echoed that sentiment when she reportedly said, “who will treat the mute animals?” But whether she wanted to or not, Sakkubai, who graduated at the very moment when India was learning to stand on its own, with animal husbandry at the centre of its growth to meet basic food needs, made a choice that might not have just affected the animals. Her decision, although seemingly personal, aligned perfectly with India’s collective aspirations, turning her compassion into a quiet act of nation-building.

Born in Tamil Nadu, Sakkubai belonged to a generation of women for whom access to higher education itself was a quiet revolution. A bachelor’s degree in veterinary science in 1952 placed her in an institutional landscape that was expanding but not yet crowded. Veterinary education in India had earlier colonial origins  from army and municipal veterinary schools in the late 19th century.  By the mid-20th century, India was formalizing curricula and colleges to meet rural needs. Veterinarians were central to programs aimed at improving milk yields, controlling livestock disease, and supporting rural economies — tasks that were quietly political because they intersected with state planning, subsidies, and public health.  

After completing her degree, Sakkubai joined the Department of Animal Husbandry under the Government of Madras (now Tamil Nadu), contributing to livestock health programs, disease control, and animal breeding initiatives. She also taught and mentored students, encouraging more women to enter veterinary science, a field that remained largely inaccessible to them. Her professional journey later took her to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bangalore, where she undertook research and administrative roles. Within professional networks, she held leadership positions, including President of the Karnataka chapter of the All-India Association of Lady Veterinarians, helping to shape veterinary education and policy while advocating for broader participation of women in animal health sciences. Throughout her career, she combined empathy with scientific discipline, guided by the belief that animals deserved the same respect and quality of care as humans.

Sakkubai Ramachandran passed away in 2022. Her story illustrates how career choices that appear personal or passion-driven can also intersect with larger social and political currents. Her life reflects the subtle ways individuals contribute to nation-building: by choosing a path aligned with societal needs, even when it is quiet, unsung, and outside the limelight of the “hot fields” that dominate public attention. Her legacy remains a reminder that meaningful impact often arises where personal interest and collective necessity meet.

Written by Janaky Sunil and edited by Parvathy Ramachandran

References:

1.https://assets.ctfassets.net/jgqlefvbenfu/3w5wolgJ7HAg4S6WolVhVi/8818a4333a242563a970c23e59f0a9d7/DR.ADITISHARMA.pdf

2.https://x.com/thebetterindia/status/1917601630327038223

3. Veena, T., & Rajeshwari, Y. B. (2008). Role of women in veterinary profession. Veterinary World, 1(12), 380.

4.https://www.facebook.com/rajesh.singh.16718/posts/dr-sakkubai-ramachandranindias-first-woman-veterinarian-veterinary-educationist-/9933935166642132/