Ila Ghose

Ila Ghose was a pioneer in the field of engineering and education for women in India. She was the first female alumna of the Bengal Engineering College, where she graduated in 1951 with a degree in mechanical engineering. She was also the first woman engineer from West Bengal and one of the first in Asia. She had a distinguished career as a lecturer, principal, and consultant in various institutions, both in India and abroad. She was instrumental in setting up the Mahila Polytechnic in Dhaka, Bangladesh, under the auspices of UNESCO in 1985. She was also an active participant in the International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists, where she represented India in 1967. She faced many challenges and biases in her professional life, but she never gave up on her passion and ambition. She was an inspiration and a role model for many young women who wanted to pursue engineering as a career. She passed away in December 2019 at the age of 89.