New Delhi: Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, initiated the launch of the “Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal on 11th February, 2024. The portal aims to establish a unified online platform representing Indian women and girls in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine).
Sood, launching the portal during the International Day of Women and Girls in Science at the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) in New Delhi, emphasized that the database of the SWATI Portal will aid in policymaking to tackle the challenges of gender disparity.
The portal, a fully interactive database, is the first of its kind in India. It was developed, hosted, and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR) in New Delhi under the leadership of Dr. Subhra Chakraborty, Director of NIPGR.
Dr. Chakraborty highlighted this feature during her address, noting that this is likely the world’s first Interactive Portal of its kind. She also referenced statistics from the 2021 UN Report to underscore the underrepresentation of women across various sectors.
Dr. Chakraborty reiterated that this is a portal in continuous development, with the goal of incorporating data on all women scientists in the country.
Quarraisha Abdool Karim, President of TWAS, emphasized in her Keynote Address that despite being in the 21st Century, achieving Gender Parity in all sectors remains a significant challenge. She stressed the importance of education as a means of leveling the playing field, advocating for increased access to education for women and girls across all fields.
The event aimed to underscore the significance of “Science for Women & Women in Science,” along with highlighting emerging opportunities and the inclusiveness of women in S&T endeavors. This initiative will facilitate the dissemination of knowledge, advancements in fundamental science, and the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship in bolstering Atmanirbhar Bharat. It will also provide a platform for discussing and developing a roadmap for ‘Women in Science’ & ‘Science for Women.’
The objectives of the SWATI Portal include significantly expanding efforts to include every Indian woman in science, across all career stages and subjects, encompassing both Academia and Industry. It aims to enable reliable and statistically significant long-term research on issues of equality, diversity, and inclusivity in India. Additionally, it seeks to develop an active search engine and searchable database containing information such as Name, Affiliation, and Area of Interest.
The portal includes various sections such as Icons – Awardees (Padma / Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar / Stree Shakti Science Samman) & Directors, Secretaries Academy Presidents; Faculty- Indian Universities, Autonomous organizations including S&T Ministry/ CSIR/ DBT/ DST/ CSIR/ MHRD/ UGC/ GATI/ KIRAN; Research fellows- Post docs, JRFs, SRFs, technical Staff; Students-PhD Scholars, Research Interns, Graduates, Postgraduates, Undergraduates; WiS Entrepreneurs, Startups, Business & Science Administrators; STEMM background professionals in alternate careers(e.g. Science, Journalism etc). Currently, 3000 ‘WiS Data Cards’ have been included.
The event was attended by distinguished scientists of national/international repute such as CNR Rao, Linus Pauling Research & President, JNCASR, Bangalore, P N Tandon, Formerly, Professor & Neurosurgeon, Dept. of Neurosurgery, AIIMS, Former President, NASI; Presidents of the three Science Academies viz. Balram Bhargava (President, NASI), Waghmare (President, IASc), Ashutosh Sharma (President, INSA), Dr. Manju Sharma, Former Secretary to the Govt. of India, DBT, Chandrima Shaha, Former President, INSA, including other distinguished women scientists viz. Dr. Renu Swarup, Former Secretary to the Govt. of India, DBT; Rohini Godbole, Vice President, IASc, IISc, Bangalore and Shobhona Sharma, Former Senior Professor, TIFR Mumbai and Chair, INSA ‘Women in Science’ Panel; Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Former DG, ICMR & Chief Scientist, WHO; Paramjit Khurana, Delhi University, South Campus.
Several eminent speakers/scientists/entrepreneurs/start-ups from across the country were invited to share their expertise on relevant subjects; numerous young women scientists, researchers, P.G. students, faculty members, technocrats, and start-ups from various institutions, universities, PG Colleges as well as industries across the country are expected to participate in the event.
Through this effort by the IAP, a platform will be established to encourage and unite all young women scientists, faculty members, researchers, and start-ups from India and abroad under one umbrella to advance the cause of Science.
Women comprise 50% of the human resource, crucial for societal progress. Empowering women entails increasing their involvement in decision-making processes that impact their lives both within and outside the household. Educating more women, especially in the field of science & technology, is essential as science education not only enhances awareness but also cultivates a mindset capable of discerning right from wrong. It provides a scientific approach to addressing the challenges faced by women, ensuring their socio-economic development. Women scientists can create opportunities by raising awareness about various scientific and societal issues, thus bridging the gender gap and overcoming negative barriers.
Recognizing the role of women scientists, the Inter-Academy Panel (IAP) of the three Science Academies viz. IASc, NASI, and INSA, along with distinguished women scientists from various reputable institutions and representatives from Government Departments/Agencies (DST, DBT, DAE, CSIR, ICMR & ISRO), has been working towards promoting gender sensitization, mentorship, gender parity, creating skilled human resources, assisting in the development of rural women, and other related areas. The aim is to ensure the inclusion of more Women in S&T related issues in all practical ways and enhance the application of S&T for the welfare of women.