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Indeed, in the early twentieth century, the press loved nothing more than featuring women medical students from around the world in their native costumes.

A few posts at tumblr on women in medicine/science in the period from the 1880s-1940s.  More often than not, in the early days the sari prevailed and the photographs reveal a sober and professional attire. These are the precusors of the kind of sari/blouse that became prevalent in workplaces in India.