Kesaveloo Goonam

Kesaveloo Goonam, also known as Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo (1906–1998) was a South African doctor and anti-apartheid activist. She was also called by the name of "Coolie Doctor"[1]

Kesaveloo Goonam
Personal details
Born
Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo

1906
May Sreet, Durban
Died21 September 1998 (aged 92)
Children3
Alma materEdinburgh University

Early life and education

Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo was born in May Street, Durban. Her mother Thangatchee Naidoo was from Mauritius, and her father R. K. Naidoo was born in India. [2] She was attending Tamil school Sathia Gnama Sabbaiat, but also attended an English-speaking school. Her parents' social circles meant that she met Mohandas K. Gandhi, Annie Besant, Strinivasa Sastri, M.L Sultan and Monty Naicker and others as a girl. On the summer of 1926, she realized that she doesn't wanna be only housewive, but wanted to be educated unlike her sister. She went to medical school on Scotland at the University of Edinburgh in 8 March 1928, and returned with her degree to South Africa in 1936 to set up medical practice in Grey Street.[3][4]She becames the first Indian Woman Doctor in South Africa.[5]

Career

At first, she met racist discrimination which denied her entry for hospital posts caused of white nurses refusal to take orders from an Indian doctor.[6]Then, she established a medical practice among black and Asian women in Durban, , who came to know that "Dr. Goonam" would meet their needs, especially for reproductive healthcare, with understanding and discretion.[2]

She becames involved with organisation like Child Welfare and Friends of The Sick Association (FOSA).[7] On 1939, she becames vice-chairperson of Non-Europe United which was established in Natal.[4] She was also active with the Natal Indian Congress, and was elected as the vice president and later became acting president.[3] She became the commitee member of The Anti Segregation Council (ASC), with Monty Naicker as chairman which was formed to oppose voluntary segregation on 28 April 1944.[8]

On the Indian Passive Resistance Campaign 1946 which opposed Asiatic Land Tenure and Indian Representation Act, 1946, she becames the leader of the march for the third day of the campaign with Rev Michael Scott.[9] She became one of volunteers to be court imprisoned and in one of her court said " I plead guilty and ask the court to impose the maximum sentence permitted by law. ….. In occupying the resistance camp I was protesting against that oppressive and pernicious law recently enacted against my people who had no part in framing it. The Act spells disaster, ruin and a state of semi-serfdom to our people who contributed greatly to the prosperity of this country. South Africa we are reminded frequently, is a democratic country…. I am here to vindicate this interpretation of democracy".[1] On 29 June 1946, Dr. Goonam was sentenced for six months with seven days hard labour, in addition to seven days hard labour suspended for three months which she had been sentenced to under the Riotous Assemblies Act on 25 June 1946. However, after four months the sentence was suspended.[8] Goonam has been imprisoned 17 times caused of her political activities.[4] During the 1950s, she help India’s deputy health minister and Sushila Nayyar to supervise family planning programmes as a government committee on New Delhi.[6]

Her political activities continued, including hosting meetings of the in her medical offices on 1961 with Theo Kloppenberg, Eleanor Kasrils, Poomoney Moodley.[10] She left South Africa for England on 1978 to escape harrasment from security officer for her own safety. Before she left,she founded Helping Hand Society to help family which was casted away from Clairwood and Cato Manor into Chatsworth. She do her medical practices on Indian refugees from Uganda and Kenya, before moved away to Australia and Zimbabwe.[6] [7]She returned to South Africa in 1990, after Nelson Mandela was released from prison. She voted in the 1994 South African elections.[1] Also in 1994, she called for the disbanding of the Natal Indian Congress, saying "now is the time to go."[11]

She published her autobiography, Coolie Doctor, in 1991.[12]

Personal life

She have three children and became a single mother.[2]

Death and legacy

Kesaveloo Goonam died on 21 September 1998, aged 92 years.[13]

On 1 July 2016, Sastri College Alumni Association held a memorable commemoration of the Passive Resistance Campaign 1946 and plant a tree in honour of her at the Resistance Park in Durban.[14]

In 2019, The University of Edinburgh School of Social and Political Sciences elected to name a newly created PhD building after Dr Goonam in George Square.[15]

gollark: Did you mention the multiple SAltkins and ND?
gollark: Also, a CB pyro xeno, which admittedly nobody likes.
gollark: I can send... a random shadow walker hatchling...
gollark: Madness.
gollark: <@306228181336195073> Er, do you want to trade that omen for my deipsisisisy one?

References
  1. "Dr K Goonam Oral History Interview". scnc.ukzn.ac.za. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  2. Rajab, Devi. (2011). Women : South Africans of Indian origin. Kally, Ranjith., Rajab, Kalim. Auckland Park, South Africa: Jacana Media. pp. 12–17. ISBN 978-1-4314-0104-8. OCLC 727917705.
  3. "Dr. Goonum". www.literarytourism.co.za. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  4. "Dr. Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo (Dr Goonam) | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  5. Hassim, Shireen. (2006). Women's organizations and democracy in South Africa : contesting authority. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 24. ISBN 0-299-21383-8. OCLC 229432968.
  6. Ferry, Georgina (July 2020). "Kesaveloo Goonaruthnum Naidoo: anti-apartheid campaigner". The Lancet. 396 (10246): 231. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(20)31595-6. ISSN 0140-6736. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  7. Choonilall R, David P, Govender S, Naidoo K, Naidoo S (16 December 2018). "The woman behind capturing of the NIC". Sunday Tribune. Retrieved 29 July 2020.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "1946 Indian Passive Resistance timeline | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  9. Dee H. "Kesaveloo Goonam – UncoverED". uncover-ed.org. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  10. Badat, Saleem. (2013). The forgotten people : political banishment under apartheid. Leiden: Brill. p. 269. ISBN 978-90-04-24771-0. OCLC 827947093.
  11. "100 Years Of Solidarity Now It's Time To Die". The Mail & Guardian. 1994-09-02. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  12. "African Activist Archive". africanactivist.msu.edu. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  13. Kindra J (25 September 1998). "Coolie Doctor Succumb at 92" (PDF). THE LEADER. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  14. "Memorable commemoration of Passive Resistance Campaign". Rising Sun Overport. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  15. "UncoverED launch second phase of exhibition". Edinburgh Global. 2019-03-18. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.