Scientists, eminent: India

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In the world’s top league

2018-19: 10 Indians among world’s top 4,000

Yogita Rao, Only 10 Indians on list of world’s 4,000 top scientists, January 4, 2019: The Times of India

China 3rd On List With 482 Names

India boasts of eminent science and social science institutes like IISc, IITs, TIFR, JNU and Tiss. Yet, only 10 Indians figure among the world’s top 1% highly-cited researchers (HCR) in the two fields. To top it, some of the 10 are not from the country’s leading institutes. The list, comprising over 4,000 of the globe’s most ‘influential’ researchers has been released by firm Clarivate Analytics.

Eminent scientist and former head of the scientific advisory council to the PM, CNR Rao, figures on the list. More than 80% of the names in the list, which covers over 60 countries, come from only 10 countries. Remarkably, 70% are from just five countries. Among institutions, Harvard University has the highest representation on the list, with 186 names.

While India’s representation is negligible, China with 482 names is third on the list. The US tops the list with 2,639 names and the UK comes second with 546 names. JNU’s Dinesh Mohan, who figures on the list, said that till last year, less than five Indians would be on the list. “This year, they have included an additional category of ‘cross-field’, which took the number to 10,” he said.

Rao said “About 15 years ago, China and India were at the same level. But China contributes to 15-16% of science in the world and ours is only about 3-4%,” he said.

Ashok Pandey, from CSIR’s Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, is the only HCR from CSIR, which has a network of 5,000 scientists.

IIT-Kanpur professor Avinash Agarwal, who is on the list, said applied research does not get enough respect in a country like India, which is obsessed with fundamental research.

The other Indian names on the list are: Alok and Jyoti Mittal (a married couple; Jyoti is the only woman researcher on the list) from NIT Bhopal; Rajnish Kumar from IITMadras; Sanjeeb Sahoo from Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar; Rajeev Varshney from International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad; Sakthivel Rathinaswamy from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.

Women scientists

Some famous 20th century scientists

Rohan Dua, March 2, 2020: The Times of India

Some famous 20th century scientists
From: Rohan Dua, March 3, 2020: The Times of India

(From L) Bibha Chowdhuri (physics), Irawati Karve (anthropology), Kamal Ranadive (medicine), Rajeshwari Chatterjee (engineering) and Raman Parimala (mathematics)
From: Rohan Dua, March 2, 2020: The Times of India

One of the first women physicians in the country, a pioneer of India’s weather assessment systems and the first Indian woman to get a doctorate in science. Ahead of International Women’s Day, some of India’s iconic — but perhaps forgotten — women scientists will be brought out of the obscure annals of history and into the spotlight.

The ministries of science and technology and women and child development have identified 11 early 20th-century women scientists in whose honour chairs will be set up in institutes across the country. The range of fields is wide — from cytogenetics to organic chemistry to social sciences. Only women researchers will take up positions and could get research fund up to Rs 1 crore.

The idea behind setting up a chair is to bolster research in the field the person it is named after excelled in.

‘Chairs will inspire girls to follow scientists’ paths’

The only woman from India after whom a Chair has been instituted is Mother Teresa. Last month, the ministry of women and child development had proposed Chairs named after women, for women, across disciplines.

“We hope this will help highlight women who have been at the forefront of science and inspire young girls to follow in their paths,” women and child development minister Smriti Irani told TOI.

Over the next week, the committee, which includes DRDO director general (aeronautical systems) Tessy Thomas and AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabuddhe — will identify the institutes where the Chairs will be set up. These 11 Chairs will be set up for an initial period of five years, which can be extended on the basis of research requirements.