Mileva Marić – the unsung partner who helped Albert discover the Einstein within himself

Mileva Marić had crossed many barriers to pursue her dream of mastering physics and mathematics when women's role was defined by the German slogan, 'Kinder, Küche, Kirche'(children, kitchen, church).

- Satish Kumar Sharma

She was four years older than Einstein and his classmate. He was an absent-minded student mostly lost in imagination. She was focused, organised and methodical.

She matched him in grades, collaborated in his research and was set to get a Ph.D. earlier than him but fate and two mean-minded professors thwarted her plans.

Not to be disheartened, she did the next best thing – she decided to support Einstein in his brilliant journey.

Einstein was a German Jew born in 1879 whose family had shifted to Switzerland.

Mileva Marić was a 1875 born Serbian Christian. Her father had obtained special permission for her to attend an all-boys' high school in Zagreb as a private student and again in 1892 to allow her to attend lectures in physics.

In 1896, Mileva joined as the only girl among 6 students including Einstein in a class for a four-year diploma course, in teaching physics and mathematics, at Polytechnic Institute at Zurich.