Ayyalasomayajula Lalitha’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Chennai in 1919, she married at 15 and became a widow by 18 with a baby daughter. Refusing to conform to the limited roles available to women of her time, she chose instead to study electrical engineering at College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG), where she graduated in 1943 — the first woman in India to earn an engineering degree.

Her father, Prof Pappu Subba Rao, supported her ambition, securing her admission at a time when female engineers were unheard of in India. Lalitha went on to work at major institutions such as the Central Standards Organisation, and later at Associated Electrical Industries (AEI) in Calcutta, contributing to projects like the transmission network for the Bhakra‑Nangal Dam. 

Beyond her technical feats, Lalitha was active in women-engineering networks: in 1964 she attended the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists in New York, and was elected a full member of the British Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) in 1966.
Her life resonates as a powerful beacon: a woman who turned personal tragedy into ambition, challenged gender norms, and paved the way for future generations of women engineers in India and beyond.