Life Story
Full Name: Ida Sophia Scudder
Parents: John Scudder and family
Birthplace: Ranipet, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, India
Date of Birth: December 9, 1870
Date of Death: May 23, 1960
Contribution: Devoted her life to God as a Christian medical missionary, established hospitals and medical colleges in India, and became a renowned doctor.
Personal Life and Early Years:
Ida Scudder was born on December 9, 1870, in Ranipet, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu, to missionary doctor John Scudder and his wife. She was born into a family of American missionaries who had come to South India to serve the people. Her grandfather, John Scudder, had arrived in India at the age of 26 with his wife to work as a medical missionary. Ida grew up witnessing poverty and suffering in the villages around her.
When she was eight years old, her family returned to the United States. While in America, Ida met a teacher named D.L. Moody, whose teachings inspired her to accept Jesus Christ as her savior. Despite living a comfortable life in America, she felt drawn to help the poor and serve God.
A turning point in her life occurred when her parents fell seriously ill in India. She immediately returned to India to care for them. While helping her father in his medical work, she witnessed a tragic event that changed her destiny:
One night, three women came to her father asking for help with childbirth. Ida, not knowing medicine herself, suggested calling her father. The men accompanying the women refused to allow her father’s assistance. Tragically, by morning, all three women had died. Deeply moved and heartbroken, Ida realized her calling: she needed to become a doctor to save lives, especially of women in India.
Education and Career:
Ida returned to the United States to study medicine. She devoted herself fully to medical education and also raised funds to establish medical facilities in India. By the age of 30, she returned to India as a qualified doctor.
With ten thousand dollars she had collected, and with the help of a friend, she started a small clinic by the roadside. Later, with additional support from friends in the U.S. and a donation from Robert Sewell in memory of his wife, she established a hospital for women and children. This facility eventually grew into the famous Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore. Ida also founded a medical college specifically for training female doctors.
Legacy:
Ida Scudder spent her life treating patients with compassion and excellence, always reflecting her Christian faith through her service. She saved countless lives, trained generations of doctors, and left a lasting impact on healthcare in India. She passed away on May 23, 1960, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of medical service and dedication to God.