As I curiously wandered through the sprawling museum in Manchester on a bright early summer day in May 2024, my wandering eyes suddenly fell on a retro monocular compound microscope and naturally so, as a Pathologist was curiously drawn to it. As I went closer, I was amused to see an image of a British Lady named Lydia with a weighing balance on which there were 2 brains which weighed equal! I didn't quite understand. As I looked around, I also saw collections of many dried plants and also few slogans which indicated a struggle for women rights!! 

Before my overthinking brain ran berserk, I googled about Lydia in 1865 and found an astonishing and truly inspiring story of LYDIA ERNESTINE BECKER (24th Feb 1827 -18th July 1890).

Lydia was an amateur scientist, a successful biologist and a Botanist between 1863-1877 with interest in astronomy. During her career, she was an occasional correspondent of Charles Darwin for whom she provided specimens of plants, indigenous to her hometown, Manchester.

Lydia Becker was awarded for her scientific contributions, a National Prize in the 1860s for a collection of dried plants using a method devised by her so that they retain their original colors.

Lydia Becker died at the age of 63 as she contracted Diphtheria. As a mark of respect, the staff of women's suffrage journal decided to cease production.

In 2018, the Lydia Becker Institue of Immunology and Inflammation was started at the university of Manchester as a celebration to Lydias contributions and this institute is now a home for internationally renowned expertise in a vast array of basic and applied sciences.

I felt a profound sense of inspiration reading about Lydia Becker and hope this short travelogue inspires all of them reading this, especially the women fighting odds, celebrating womanhood.