Many of us
do not remember why today is special, but Google does. It created a doodle on
November 8 on the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of Indian cell
biologist Kamal Ranadive, known for her cancer research. The doodle, by Indian
artist Ibrahim Rayintakath, shows Ranadive peering through a microscope.

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Kamal
Ranadive was born in 1917 in Pune. Her father encouraged her to study medicine
but she wanted to study biology. In 1949, she received her doctorate in
cytology, the study of cells, while working as a researcher at the Indian
Cancer Research Centre (ICRC).

For her
fellowship she joined Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland,
USA.  Thereafter, she returned to Mumbai and established the country’s
first tissue culture laboratory in ICRC.

As director
of ICRC and Animal Cancer Development, Ranadive was one of the pioneer researchers
in her field in India. She suggested that there was a link between breast
cancer and genetics. Ranadive has also conducted research on mycobacterium
leprae, now known to cause leprosy. She helped to develop a vaccine for
this. 

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In 1973,
Ranadive and 11 colleagues founded the Indian Association of Women Scientists
to support women in scientific fields. She retired in 1989 and worked to
improve rural health care facilities and to train women. 

“Ranadive
also encouraged students and Indian scholars abroad to return to their own
country and use their knowledge to work for their communities. After retiring
in 1989, the scientist worked in rural communities in Maharashtra, training
women as healthcare workers, providing health and nutrition education. The IWSA
has 11 chapters in India and provides scholarships and childcare options for
women in science,” wrote Google.

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Kamal
Ranadive was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1982. She was also awarded the GJ
Watumull Foundation Prize in microbiology in 1964. She holds a position of
emeritus medical scientist in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).