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{{short description|Indian physician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox scientist
|name = Banoo Jehangir Coyaji
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1917|9|7}}<ref name = KEM>{{cite web|url = http://www.kemhospital.org/banoo.html|title = Dr. Banoo Coyaji (1917-2004)|publisher = King Edward Memorial Hospital|access-date = 31 August 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130808191712/http://www.kemhospital.org/banoo.html|archive-date = 8 August 2013|url-status = dead}}</ref>
|birth_place =
|death_date = {{nowrap|{{death date and age|df=yes|2004|7|15|1917|9|7}}}}
|death_place =
|residence = [[Pune]], [[India]]
|citizenship = [[India]]n
|nationality =
|ethnicity = [[Parsi]]
|field = [[Medicine]]
|work_institutions = [http://www.kemhospital.org/aboutus.html King Edward Memorial Hospital], [[Pune]]
|alma_mater = [[Grant Medical College]]
[[St.Vincents High School, Pune]]
|doctoral_advisor =
|doctoral_students =
|known_for = {{unbulleted list |[[Family Planning]] |[[Population Control]] |[[Social Service]]}}
|influences = |influenced =
|prizes =
{{unbulleted list
| [[Padma Bhushan]]
| [[Magsaysay Award]]
}}
}}

'''Banoo Jehangir Coyaji''' (7 September 1917 – 15 July 2004) was an Indian physician and activist in [[family planning]] and [[population control]]. She was director of [[King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College|King Edward Memorial Hospital]] in [[Pune]], and started programmes of community health workers in rural areas of [[Maharashtra]], the third largest state in India. She became an advisor to the union government and an internationally recognised expert.

== Biography ==

=== Early life ===
Banoo Pestonji Kapadia was born in [[Mumbai]] on 7 September 1917 into a Parsi family. Her father was a well known civil engineer by the name of Pestonji Kapadia. At a young age, Banoo was sent to live with her grandparents in [[Pune]] where she experienced a life of wealth and luxury. Her parents' constant visits and her close relationship with her grandparents led her to live a self-proclaimed fulfilled childhood.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book|title=Greatness of spirit : profiles of Indian Magsaysay award winners|last=Johri, Meera.|date=2010|publisher=Rajpal & Sons|isbn=9788170288602|location=Delhi|oclc=588507605}}</ref>

=== Education ===
While living with her grandparents, Banoo became the first girl to matriculate from [[St. Vincent's High School|St. Vincent's]], an all boys school,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.anusandhan.net/women/main_template.jsp?file=coyaji_2.htm|title=Anusandhan.net, Indian S & T Portal|website=www.anusandhan.net|access-date=2019-04-26}}</ref> and attended the [[Convent of Jesus and Mary, Ambala|Convent of Jesus and Mary]] where she often placed first in rankings.<ref name=":02" /> After her schooling at the Convent, Banoo took the [[Senior Cambridge]] and passed with distinction in five classes. She went on to do pre-medical sources at [[St. Xavier's College, Mumbai|St. Xaviers College]] and then studied medicine at [[Grant Medical College and Sir Jamshedjee Jeejeebhoy Group of Hospitals|Grant Medical College]] where she graduated with an M.D. degree in 1940. Banoo trained to become a gynecologist during her residency with the renowned Dr. V.N. Shirodkar but pursued general practice under Dr. Edulji Coyaji when she returned to Pune in 1943.<ref name=":02" />

=== Marriage ===
When Banoo visited [[Mahabaleshwar]] in 1937, she was introduced to her future husband Jehangir Coyaji by Edulji Coyaji, Banoo's mentor and Jehangir's brother. Jehangir was an engineer by trade and had recently completed his degree at [[Purdue University]]. Banoo and Jehangir were married on 24 February 1941, five years after they began their courtship. On 7 August 1942, the couple had their first child, a boy by the name of Kurus. In 1943, they went on to build a house in Pune and settled there.<ref name=":02" />

== Professional life ==
In April 1944, Sardar Moodliar requested Dr. Edulji Coyaji to recommend a highly trained doctor capable of taking over the [[King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College|King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEM)]], a small maternal care hospital located in Pune.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.kemhospital.org/banoo.html|title=Welcome to KEM Hospital|website=www.kemhospital.org|access-date=2019-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808191712/http://www.kemhospital.org/banoo.html|archive-date=8 August 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Dr. Edulji Coyaji suggested Dr. Banoo Jehangir Coyaji for the job and six months later, she assumed the position of Chief Medical Officer.<ref name=":2" /> In her 55 years in this role, Banoo grew the hospital from 40 beds in 1944 to 550 beds in 1999. She also transformed KEM into a teaching hospital and research institute and established an affiliation with [[B. J. Medical College]].<ref name=":1" />

Banoo also developed a primary health center in Vadu in 1972 that eventually grew into a hospital catering nearby rural areas. In 1977, she created a program directed towards improving rural community healthcare. She trained approximately 600 girls in matters of hygiene, family planning, and nutrition so they could assist their communities.<ref name=":1" /> Over time, Banoo's model was adopted in locations across the country. Furthermore, Banoo realized the lack of education and workforce skills in many young women and mothers. As a response to this crisis, she founded the Young Women's Health and Development Project in 1988. This project was aimed at teaching young women necessary skills such as reading and embroidery, and supplementing these skills with conversations about caste and gender roles.<ref name=":1" />

Banoo was a member of the Scientific and Technical Group in Human Reproduction, [[World Health Organization|WHO]], Women's Health and Development, and Health, Manpower and Development at WHO. She was a Consultant to the [[Government of Maharashtra]], the [[Government of India]], the World Bank, [[Ford Foundation]], [[United Nations Population Fund|UNFPA]] and many other bodies of national and international importance. She was also a member of the Management Council as well as Professor Emeritus, [[Savitribai Phule Pune University|Pune University]]. Her major contribution has been in the areas of [[family planning]], [[Public health|urban and rural health]] and [[Child care|children's health]].<ref name="rediff2">{{cite web|url=http://ia.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/15banoo.htm|title=Social worker Banoo Coyaji dead|publisher=rediff.com|access-date=31 August 2013}}</ref>

== Awards and recognition ==

* 1989 – [[Padma Bhushan]]'''<ref name="Padma Awards2">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf|title=Padma Awards|date=2015|publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf|archive-date=15 October 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>'''
* 1992 – [[Punyabhushan Award]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://punyabhushan.com/punyabhushans.html|title=Punyabhushan Foundation {{!}} Tridal Pune {{!}} Punyabhushan.com {{!}} Dr. Satish Desai|website=punyabhushan.com|access-date=2019-04-23}}</ref>
* 1993 – [[Ramon Magsaysay Award|Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service]]<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-15/pune/27161484_1_family-planning-ramon-magsaysay-reproductive-health|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308234957/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-15/pune/27161484_1_family-planning-ramon-magsaysay-reproductive-health|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 March 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Social worker Banoo Coyaji passes away|access-date=31 August 2013}}</ref>

== Interests ==
Banoo had a persistent interest in literature that was passed on to her from her father. She pursued this interest through her involvement in the [[Sakal|Sakal Group of Newspapers]] as its director for 30 years.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="Aggarwal1989">{{cite book|author=S. K. Aggarwal|title=Media Credibility|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hDmn6LI_ZDEC&pg=PA228|year=1989|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-157-1|pages=228–}}</ref> In addition to this, she obtained honorary degrees in literature in 1994 from the University of Pune and SNDT University.<ref name=":3" />

She also learned Western classical music during her time at the Convent of Jesus and Mary and enjoyed playing piano at her grandparents' house. Banoo performed for examiners from London's [[Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance|Trinity College of Music]].<ref name=":02" />

In addition to literature and music, Banoo enjoyed attending parties and ballroom dancing with her husband, Jehangir.<ref name=":2" />

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Indra Gupta, ''India’s 50 Most Illustrious Women'', New Delhi: Icon Publications, 2003, {{ISBN|81-88086-03-7}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120308234957/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-07-15/pune/27161484_1_family-planning-ramon-magsaysay-reproductive-health Obituary ''Social worker Banoo Coyaji passes away'', Times of India, July 15, 2004]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120205045447/http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Citation/CitationCoyajiBan.htm Citation for 1993 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service]

{{RMA winners of India}}
{{Ramon Magsaysay Award Winners}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1980–89}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coyaji, Banoo Jehangir}}
[[Category:1917 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Scientists from Pune]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in medicine]]
[[Category:Ramon Magsaysay Award winners]]
[[Category:Parsi people]]
[[Category:Indian women medical doctors]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women scientists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:Medical doctors from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Women scientists from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women scientists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian medical doctors]]
[[Category:20th-century women physicians]]
[[Category:21st-century women physicians]]

Banoo Jehangir Coyaji - Revision history

UpdateBot at 08:32, 15 June 2022