Gauri Rani Banerjee

Gauri Rani Banerjee
Occupation	Social worker
Employer	Dhorabji Tata School of Social Work

Gauri Rani Banerjee was an Indian social worker who instituted the first department of medical and psychiatric social work in India in 1948.

Biography

After training in the United States, ^{[1] [2]} Banerjee returned to her home country of India. In 1948, she instituted the first department of medical and psychiatric social work in India at the Dhorabji Tata School of Social Work (now TISS) in Byculla. ^{[1] [3]}

Banerjee is credited with linking social work concepts to traditional Indian literature, culture and religious texts, ^[1] such as the concept of mutual obligation to society. ^[4] She also dealt with issues including "child marriage, caste discrimination, and rights for women." ^[5]

References

1. Nadkarni, Vimla (20 April 2022), "Banerjee, Gauri Rani" , Encyclopedia of Social Work, NASW Press and Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1562, ISBN   978-0-19-997583-9 , retrieved 2 September 2025
2. Deman, Dinesh (2021). "Social Work Practice in Psychiatric Setting: The Need for Sociologcal Perspective". IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review. 9 (4): 300–304. Retrieved 2 September 2025.
3. Parthasarathy, R.; Ranganathan, M. (2004). "Psychiatric Social Work: Past, Present and Future" (PDF). Mental Health: An Indian Perspective, 1946-2003. Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. pp. 138–139. ISBN   978-81-8147-195-6.
4. Kumar, Hajira (2005). Social Work and Developmental Issues. Aakar Books. pp. 43–44. ISBN   978-81-87879-40-4.
5. Dutta, Angel Protim (13 February 2025). From Chaos to Clarity How Social Work Skills Can Change Your Life. Notion Press. ISBN   979-8-89724-254-2.

External links

• Episode of the Social Worker Herald about Banerjee, presented by Vimla Nadkarni, on YouTube