Archive · 15 Sep 2025
India's First Women Engineers: A Legacy of Trailblazers
Imagine a time when not many women went to engineering school.
Well, in India, three brave women named Lalitha, Thressia, and Leelamma changed that.
With help from their dads, they studied engineering in the 1940s.
They faced challenges like no separate bathrooms, but they worked hard and became engineers.
Lalitha, one of the women, became well-known and represented India at international events for women in engineering and science.
These women paved the way for other women to pursue careers in fields that were previously dominated by men.
Ayyalasomayajula Lalitha, P.K. Thressia, and Leelamma George graduated from CEG in 1944, becoming India’s first women engineers.
Their fathers supported their education, even though it was unusual for women to pursue engineering at the time.
Lalitha, a widow and mother, gained recognition for her advocacy of women’s education.
Lalitha represented India at international conferences promoting women in STEM fields.
The women faced obstacles, but they built significant careers and contributed to engineering projects.
- Who
- Ayyalasomayajula Lalitha, P.K. Thressia, and Leelamma George, India's first female engineering graduates.
- What
- Three women graduated from the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Chennai in 1944, becoming India's first women engineers.
- When
- The women graduated in 1944, after enrolling in CEG in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
- Where
- College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Chennai, and various locations where they worked, including Shimla, Calcutta, and Kerala.
- Why
- They were supported by forward-thinking fathers who prioritized their education despite societal norms.
- Graduation Year
- 1944
- Engineering College
- College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), Chennai
- Pioneers
- Ayyalasomayajula Lalitha, P.K. Thressia, and Leelamma George
- Lalitha's Profession
- Engineering Assistant, Central Standards Organization of India; Design Engineer, AEI
- Lalitha's International Recognition
- Associate/Full Member, Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), London; Representative, WES