Need to improve participation of women in research: Secy DST

Secretary of the Union Science and Technology Department (DST) Prof Ashutosh Sharma on Thursday underscored the need of intervention by different stakeholders to improve the participation of women in research.

Addressing the Women Scientists' and Entrepreneurs Conclave of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2019, here he referred to entrepreneurship efforts supported by organizations like WEE (Women Entrepreneurship and Empowerment) Foundation supported by DST.

Sharma said that one needs absolute clarity about problems and solutions instead of just talking about the problems.

Stressing on the need of interventions by different stakeholders to improve the participation of women in research he highlighted DSTs schemes like Vigyan Jyoti which targets to increase the representation of women in top reputed institutions like IITs.

The Vigyan Jyoti scheme brings holistic science camp which imparts training to get into IITs and has many science institutions to partner in it.

Secretary, Department of Scientific& Industrial Research and Director General CSIR, Dr Shekhar C Mande said the conclave is an effort to acknowledge the contribution of women in catalyzing sustainable growth and help in the strike in the domain of scientific research.

In the different sessions eminent women scientists, leaders and experts mentioned that specific cultural and financial challenges that prevent women from reaching top institutions needed targeted attention.

It was pointed out that increasing representation of women in science technology and innovation hinges on every womans shoulders and each one should contribute towards it.

Delegates at the conclave were inspired by the presence of role models like Sarita Devi, a farmer from Sikar in Rajasthan, who has successfully gained about Rs 25 lakh from 1 acre of land and who is influencing other women farmers to become competent and gain from their farmlands.

Another woman achiever Major General Dr Madhuri Kanitkar talked for 'Growing together without growing apart'. She said that life is a continuous learning process and women have a multitude of responsibilities of managing work-life balance and caring for elderly parents.

The two-day conclave consists of six different sessions on different aspects of increasing participation of women in science technology and innovation.