Who was Kamal Ranadive, and why is Google paying tribute to her today?

Prominent Indian biomedical researcher Kamal Ranadive, noted for her breakthrough research on the link between cancer and certain viruses, was recalled on Monday by Google, which paid homage to her on the day the Asian woman turned 104 years old.

Today’s Doodle, created by India-based guest artist Ibrahim Rayintakath, shows her in her lab, encircled by cells and viruses that are being researched.

Ranadive was born on November 8, 1917, in Pune, India, and succeeded in medical education before deciding to pursue a career in biological research. She earned a Ph.D. in cytology, the study of cells, while working as a researcher at the Cancer Research Center of India, and then a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University.

Ranadive came back to India when the fellowship finished and created the country’s first tissue culture lab in the 1960s. During her tenure as ICRC director, she was among the first to suggest a relationship between the development of cancer, particularly breast cancer, and genetics, as well as a link between cancer susceptibility and hormones.

Her research on germs linked to leprosy aided in the creation of vaccination against infectious illnesses. While doing cancer studies on animals, she was able to get a deeper understanding of the origins of leukemia and esophageal cancer.

Dr. Ranadive and 11 colleagues founded the Indian Women Scientists Association (IWSA) in 1973 to assist women in fields related to science. Ranadive urged Indian students and intellectuals studying overseas to return to India and use their expertise to benefit their villages.

She retired in 1989 and served in rural Maharashtra villages, teaching women as health workers and delivering health and nutrition education.

Ranadive, who dedicated his life to making society more fair via science and education, died in 2001 at the age of 83.