Category Archives: Science administration

Science administration

Ageism in academic jobs in India

Posted on by

Let’s talk career with Naturejobs

Every now and then, Indigenus brings you some interesting and relevant posts from sister blog Naturejobs, a leading online resource for scientists in academia and industry who seek guidance in developing their careers. The blog delivers a mix of expert advice and personal stories to help readers review, set and achieve their career goals.

Today we have Farah Ishtiaq, a Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance Intermediate Fellow at the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Her research explores the ecology and evolution of vector-borne diseases — the role of migration, host immunity, vector genetics, and climate change on malaria transmission in high-altitude Himalayan birds.

Farah shares her experience on how age and success are linked in acquiring faculty positions in India.

Farah Ishtiaq

Farah Ishtiaq

India has recently been portrayed as a land of abundant opportunity in academia, investing seriously in research and development to attract skilled scientists. The government has introduced several attractive funding opportunities, with the aim of bringing back scientists working abroad to establish a long-term career here, and improving the overall research infrastructure. Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance (WT/DBT) fellowships, for example, have no age or nationality restrictions, relying on qualifications, research experience, career trajectory and the candidate’s determination to establish their own independent research.

WT/DBT India alliance was initiated to develop a large cohort of internationally competitive researchers and help in developing scientific excellence and leadership; a model recently adopted and launched by the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) as well. Since Africa shares a similar burden of healthcare with India, as well as many workplace challenges, Indian scientists are perceived as key collaborators in this mission.

There’s a problem here though: age limits on academic positions. Prospective candidates for assistant professor in India are preferred by academic institutions to be younger than 35. Although funding bodies are not hiring agencies, the age limit imposed on faculty positions by academic institutions sabotages the driving principle behind these new funding opportunities — the current system is unable to absorb enough competent, experienced scientists.

The dilemma for early-career researchers is serious; many fellows are facing this harsh reality and an uncertain future. Every research position has a maximum age limit in India; from a junior research fellow (JRF), with a cut off at 28 years old, to postdoctoral researchers where it is 35 (or 40 years for women). These limits put the Indian academic landscape in stark contrast with many other countries that also follow a tenure-track system.

A Nature special issue in 2015 explored some of the unique opportunities – and the unique problems – of working as a scientist in India

A Nature special issue in 2015 explored some of the unique opportunities – and the unique problems – of working as a scientist in India

Overall, this makes India a viable option and destination only for scientists of a selected age class. And it certainly gets more complicated for women who want to pursue a career in science and raise a family, with very little allowance made for taking time out for such.

I am now in my vigorous 40s, which prevents me from being offered an entry-level faculty position. I am also a recipient of a WT/DBT India Alliance fellowship. My funding allowed me to establish an independent laboratory to study the ecology and evolution of emerging infectious diseases in wild bird populations, but despite this incredible research opportunity, I feel my career clock is ticking faster than ever. Getting funding to do science is no longer a problem, but academic policies that prevent competent scientists becoming established are preventing me from succeeding. I feel redundant — surely the quality of my science should be the focus rather than my age?

What I would have done differently

Hopefully, this should give others like me some insight on avoiding some of the mistakes I made. First, I should have found a trust-worthy mentor who could have helped me to navigate my career path.

Never put all your eggs in one basket. I should have pitched my grant idea to multiple host institutions to maximise my likelihood of finding an institution that would guarantee a more permanent position by this stage.

Do your homework in understanding the system and host academic institution. Even though I deferred my fellowship for a year as my daughter was too little to be left in a crèche, I realise I should have used that time to negotiate or better understand the policy or the institute’s vision for a research fellow like me. Many academic institutions have no guidelines on the role, involvement and career development of academic fellows.

Many academics fail to understand the role and potential of fellows like me and often consider them just as an extended postdoc — not as a long-term prospect or potential collaborator. Hence, I did not get enough of an opportunity to teach and to mentor PhD students. Having my own PhD students would have bolstered my career at this stage, and allowed me to evolve as a mentor.

Local advice & mindset

I’ve received various pieces of advice for improving my faculty application and to enhance my chances of a secure job — this was to publish my current research: i) without foreign authors; and ii) as senior or first author in more prestigious journals such as Science, Nature or PNAS. Whilst the first is possible, the second is easier said than done.

Apparently, that was the only thing my CV was missing — a clearer demonstration of my calibre and merit as an independent researcher. Interestingly, for established faculty struggling to earn tenure in India, the culture emphasises quantity of publications rather than quality.

And, whilst the second piece of advice (primarily from engineers, cell or molecular biologists) is sound, what was missing was perspective on research in the field of ecology — collecting and publishing groundbreaking ecology data in top journals can take years longer than other disciplines. The journals I have been publishing in are not familiar to some of the members of recruitment panels I’ve met with. I have even been asked if ‘Ibis’ and ‘Parasites & Vectors’ were proper journals.

Should India be a role model for developing nations?

We are struggling to keep our skilled workers, despite the spending per researcher being equivalent to a developed nation like the UK. I hope other developing countries don’t replicate the above policies, as they certainly don’t help to address some of the major longer-term developmental challenges, including a shortage of researchers. In India, with only 200,000 full time researchers (and only 14% of them women) from a population of 1.3 billion, new research institutes currently being developed end up short of skilled workers and blinkered to new research areas.

This all said, I am still very excited. I have a competitive edge and enthusiasm for research where I can play a leading role in high-quality research. Perhaps, it’s time to explore science career options elsewhere, maybe in Africa, and hope no one will question my age?

Suggested posts

What I learnt from researching in Germany

Away from home: Collaboration in a global organisation

Away from home: ‘Research not Nobel-driven’

When will our lab ladies get a life?

Posted on by

[Reproduced with permission from Hindu Business Line, column ‘Science and Sensibility’. Published: 27 April 2017]

Always in a crucible

Subhra Priyadarshini

A fair piece of the science pie — that’s what women scientists from across the world have been seeking since the times of Rosalind Franklin, the English chemist whose contribution to the structure of DNA was unfairly eclipsed by the more celebrated Watson-Crick duo. The history of such discrimination actually goes way back in time but Franklin’s is one of the most controversial cases worth citing.

Pick up a policy document on ‘women in science’ from 10 years ago, it won’t look much different from the white papers we make every year somewhere around Women’s Day to make life better for our lab ladies.

DSC03118

{credit}S. Priyadarshini{/credit}

This Women’s Day was no exception, apart from the fact that there seemed to be a mightier onslaught of social media messages celebrating the “beauty, grace, sacrifice and work-life balance that women so enviably achieve”. Discerning, 20th century women seem to have had it up till their neck with these messages. What if I am not beautiful or graceful? What if I end up making a mess of my work-life? What if I decide to let my work speak, rather than my cooking or sartorial sense? Would I still be considered woman enough?

These were some questions women scientists were still grappling with at a get-together of peers from across the country in the heart of Delhi. Someone mentioned the much-talked about picture of the sari-clad ISRO women scientists, which has become synonymous with woman power in India’s space research. So much so that the international science journal Nature featured the picture of these women celebrating India’s Mars mission lift-off on the cover of their India-special issue in 2015.

Women scientists in India, like in any other profession anywhere else in the world, continue to encounter the same roadblocks; marriage that makes them drop off the radar, childcare responsibilities that do not allow them to go back to a crèche-less workplace, gender-based discrimination that steadily keeps them away from higher administrative positions and sexual harassment that makes them quit their work, often under coercion or while masking tears. (Yes, women scientists are not supposed to give into human emotions like anger or sorrow at workplace even if the humiliation makes them wish they had the license to kill.)

But slowly, very slowly, a feisty resolve seems to be driving many women scientists wanting to make a mark. One does come across a gentle intrepid spirit among women — even though a handful — in many leading labs and scientific institutions of this country. Statistics do not match up to that spirit, nor does a head count of women in power-positions higher up in the profession. Sadly, at this point in history, India also does not enjoy a particularly enviable position as far as the security of and opportunities for women are concerned. Attending an international conference outside the country invariably elicits questions like “So, does a male member of the house accompany you to work?” or “What time do you get back home?” or “How safe is Delhi if I want to come for a week-long exchange programme?”

More than ever, we are having to tackle the fundamental issue of ‘mindset’ — that socio-cultural demon which rears its ugly head again just when we think we have managed to slay it.

Much like healthcare, science runs 24X7. Women scientists need flexi-timings, flexi-space, daycare and campus housing to be able to straddle the worlds of home and work efficiently. Flexi-enrolment in science courses could also equip them better to fit in personal milestones such as marriage and childbirth. Making policy tweaks to get more women into the government’s science and technology programmes, in selection committees and in top jobs would certainly be a way forward. That would mean pumping in special funds for women scientists so that they get a fair share of research grants, can plan mid-career or gap-period skill upgradation and travel for training programmes and conferences. Financially supporting and mentoring women-led start-ups and entrepreneurial ventures would also be worth considering.

There have been demands that our text books and scientific publications become more gender sensitive by addressing stark gender inequalities that they seemed to have got conditioned to knowingly or unwittingly. A gender-conscious science policy that allows women to be part of the national growth and media advocacy that inspires more women to take up science subjects in higher academics are also part of the recommendations that women scientists made this year.

Nothing majorly different from earlier years — and that’s the real reason to worry.

What does it take to be a mentor?

Posted on by

Let’s talk career with Naturejobs

Beginning this week, Indigenus will bring you some interesting and relevant posts from sister blog Naturejobs, a leading online resource for scientists in academia and industry who seek guidance in developing their careers. The blog delivers a mix of expert advice and personal stories to help readers review, set and achieve their career goals.

We kick off with a guest blog by Nirmala Hariharan, an adjunct assistant professor at UC Davis’ School of Medicine, where she mentors in and researches molecular signalling pathways for basic cardiovascular sciences.

Being a great M.E.N.T.O.R will help you just as much as your students, says Nirmala Hariharan

Guest contributor Nirmala Hariharan

Mentoring is one of the most crucial roles played by faculty on a day to day basis. As a mentor, you provide scientific and technical guidance, and serve as the pillar of support for your team of students, postdocs and trainees. Mentoring can consume a lot of your time, and be very demanding, but has several long term benefits that will help you run a successful lab. Here’s what a great M.E.N.T.O.R provides for their students.

Nirmala Hariharan

Nirmala Hariharan

Motivation. You’re the constant source of motivation for your team; you need to see the big picture and guide your team through the ups and downs. You’re the leader that inspires excellence and encourages scientific innovation. As a good mentor, you must recognise the true potential of your mentees – even if they don’t – and know how to bring out the best in them. In short, you should make them realise what they’re capable of.

Emotional Support and Connection. As a mentor, you need to provide emotional support to your mentees as they struggle to find their place in science. Career decisions are strongly impacted by the irregularities of life generally, so be willing to discuss and share incidents from your life that helped you tackle problems in science, and balance your personal life with your work.

Connecting with your mentees on an emotional and personal level helps them recognise that you’re available when they need support and encourages them to reach out when they need it. An emotional connection helps in building a mutually beneficial, professional relationship of respect and friendship, which will hopefully last for many years.

Networking. One of the most important roles of a mentor is to help mentees build strong professional relationships by introducing them to your own network. Conferences are fantastic avenues to network, and giving credit to your mentee and directly introducing them to your friends and colleagues has tremendous advantages for both of you.

Teaching. A good mentor has to be a good teacher. Your day to day tasks will include teaching experimental procedure, scientific concepts and writing, and helping with data analysis and general troubleshooting. Mentoring requires tremendous patience and – importantly – also requires allowing your mentees to make mistakes and learn from them themselves.

Opportunities for Career Growth. Providing opportunities for your mentee’s career growth is extremely important, so make sure to discuss goals often, and encourage mentees to think about their progress.

There are many ways you can provide opportunities for career development to your students – review their CV and professional materials, encourage them to apply for awards that demonstrate their excellence, discuss potential job opportunities and alternative career choices, and teach them how to excel at self-promotion. The more your mentees grow in their careers, the more satisfaction and recognition you’ll get for being an awesome mentor.

Role model. Ultimately to be a good mentor you have to be an excellent role model. Practice what you preach, demonstrate integrity in your professional and personal interactions, and show by example how to balance work and life. Be resilient, handle rejections, efficiently manage time and make sure to be a caring mentor.

It’s never too early to learn how to mentor – start now if you haven’t already. Mentoring is different from classroom teaching and requires hours of personal interaction. Getting over your inhibitions or issues with communication are important to excel as a mentor. Have patience and keep developing as you mentor people with different personalities. Remember it takes time to build trust with your mentee and you’ll get better with time and practice. Get feedback, and take suggestions and negative critiques seriously, so you can improve.

Being a mentor means being a ‘Guru’, a Sanskrit word that literally means ‘one who dispels darkness’ – a person that shows the way to pure knowledge. Mentoring is one of the most rewarding and exciting aspects of being a faculty member. Enjoy the ride because the more you give, the more you get back.

[Originally posted on 01 Feb 2016 | Naturejobs]

Nature India special volume on 30 years of DBT

Posted on by

DBT 30 years volumeOne of the key government departments of India credited with heralding the era of adventure and entrepreneurship in the country’s science – the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) – is entering its youthful years. Thirty, as they say, is the new twenty.

In these three eventful decades, DBT’s achievements have been many, in terms of the science it has enabled, the policies it has introduced, as well as the linkages it has established across disciplines and countries. DBT’s many forays into biological sciences education and its societal contributions have also bolstered its position as a formidable science-faring body in the country – as a confident young global icon who looks to the future, armed with a dynamic policy framework, the spirit of adventure and ample room for self-criticism.

Nature India is happy to be associated with DBT at this historic time of transition, a time when India’s science is making waves globally. This  special volume (freely downloadable from the Special Issues section of Nature India) marking DBT’s 30 years was released today. The volume features commentaries from leading names in biological sciences in India and across the world. The milestones of DBT have been highlighted in a commentary ‘The changing face of biological sciences in India’ and a short note ‘Three decades of biotech solutions’ by two of the many visionary past leaders of the department. DBT’s present chief outlines the vision for the future in an interview titled ‘As India’s economy grows, we will have more support for science’.

The articles compiled in this issue range from looking at the state of basic biotech research in the health sector (malaria, TB, allied microbes and stem cells) to green medicine and frugal medical innovations; from biosafety of India’s laboratories to the looming debate over genetically modified crops; and from biodiversity to big data.

The future of science and science-led entrepreneurship lies in an interdisciplinary, global approach; in frugal
innovations; in providing local solutions to the world’s problems. DBT, which has been playing the catalyst in all these areas successfully, now has an enviable 30-year benefit of hindsight to reflect upon and open newer doors to newer challenges.

As media partner, Nature India, a showcase of India’s science, is proud to collaborate with DBT in its newest mission of disseminating science better. It would be a mission well accomplished if the youth of this country gets back to thinking that ‘science is cool’.

Goodbye Kalam saab

Posted on by
Reply

Last night when news of APJ Abdul Kalam’s death spread thick and fast on social media – many heartbroken with the scientist/ex-President’s death and many wishing the news wasn’t true – one thing became clear. That this was not just the death of a scientist, a leading light of India’s space programme, or of the ‘People’s President’ – it was the demise of an adorable, all-round-good-natured, immensely accessible human being, rooted in his humble beginnings and untouched by the highs that fame brought.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (1931-2015){credit}PIB{/credit}

Why do I say that? In no time, my Facebook wall was a collage of pictures featuring Kalam alongside practically everyone I knew – the quintessential smiling face beamed in each of those pictures almost saying “Come here, do you want a picture with me?” Kalam would be missed most for this ease of approach, this humility that comes with knowledge. Small wonder that he often quoted from a Sanskrit slöka that roughly translated to “A fruit-laden tree always bends low.”

For Kalam, science was one of the many, many things he was passionate about – the number one on his passions list being teaching. “You ask me to teach 20 hours a day, I perhaps can,” he said to me once.

And he always came across as a teacher you could look up to for those wonderful motivational one-liners that stay with you for a long, long time and egg you on when you are not in the best of speeds. For instance, the Christopher Morley quote “Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting” featured quite regularly in his talks. “India needs such small shots in thousands,” he would say. No big surprise that his books – strewn with such pep quotes – flew off the shelves in no time.

With a gentle sway of the head and smiling eyes, he could heap on you tonnes of data peppered with intricate statistics, effortlessly – and then cross check if you retained all of it, typical Professor-style. “An aerobic space transportation vehicle can have a 15% payload fraction for a launch weight of 270 tonnes. This trans-atmospheric space transportation system has the potential to increase the payload fraction to 30% for higher take-off weight. So what per cent payload fraction can an aerobic space transportation vehicle have?” he would ask. And you had to say, “15%”, before the conversation went any further. He made sure the learning never stopped as long as you were with him. And then he left you with further food for thought – that was the magnet of his personality.

Kalam saab, as we fondly called him (though he might have secretly preferred Prof. Kalam), wrote several books, scientific papers, essays and his public talks are all freely accessible on the internet for anyone to benefit from. One piece he wrote for the launch of Nature India, however, will always remain precious to me. “What do you want me to write on?” he asked when I said we would love to have an inaugural article from him. “You are launching Nature India – I have to write something worthwhile. Let me give it a good thought”. Kalam, then a popular President with non-stop speaking assignments, entertained several rounds of emails before the article could be finalised. “Please feel free to edit as you like,” was his standard reply to all my queries. Here’s the piece that was finally published in Nature India.

I leave you with the endearing bits from that article – they give a peek into the man’s difficult early years that ended up shaping his invincible spirit, which India will continue to look up to for years to come:

“As I embark on my discussion on space safety and security, I am reminded of my joint family in Rameswaram, a small island in southern part of India, where a number of us brothers and a sister lived together. I was the last fellow. I keenly witnessed my mother keep all her children connected in spite of their varying needs and personalities. I used to ask myself, how does she keep us united despite such amazing diversity? It was only through the inherent pure love of the mother.

During the last five decades, I have seen how many successes and a few failures of space programmes helped connect countries around the globe. Whenever a major space event takes place – man landing on the moon, first series of communication satellites in the geo-synchronous orbit or remote sensing satellites in polar orbit, NASA astronauts, including Sunita Williams, descending on earth on a rainy day – it captures the attention of the entire planet. Events in space have in a way integrated the world, like the mother unifying the family. The question is: can we use space to transform earth into a homogenously prosperous place without poverty or fear of war?”

[“With Kalam’s demise, India’s scientists will miss their champion and star supporter in New Delhi,” says veteran science journalist K. S. Jayaraman in this obituary. “Being non-political, Kalam could cut across political parties while his image as father of India’s missile programme helped him promote science and technology. An approval from Kalam almost always resulted in budgetary support for such projects like the $250 million nanotechnology initiative, or the manned space mission.” Read more on India’s missile man’s contribution to India’s science vision here.]

India unveils new open access policy

Posted on by
Reply

OAPre-Christmas, India’s department of science and technology (DST) and department of biotechnology (DBT) played Santa to the Indian scientific community when they unveiled the country’s new open access policy this month.

The new policy will help researchers working on  funding from either of these two departments under the ministry of science and technology to publish in journals of their choice. The departments hope that researchers will publish in “high quality, peer-reviewed” journals. The authors of such papers will have to deposit copies of the final papers and supporting data in institutional repositories where the information can be accessed by the public.

In essence, it is a big leap for the open access environment in the country. The policy intends to “enhance public exposure of research.” By maximising the distribution of these publications through free online access, the Indian government also wants to ensure percolation of cutting edge research at a rapid pace into higher education curricula, “thereby raising the standard of technical and scientific education in the country”.

The policy notes that “since all funds disbursed by the DBT and DST are public funds, it is important that the information and knowledge generated through the use of these funds are made publicly available as soon as possible, subject to Indian law and IP policies of respective funding agencies and institutions where the research is performed.”

From the funding year 2012-23, authors writing with DST or DBT grants will have to deposit their papers to the institutional repositories within two weeks of acceptance by a journal. They will also have to submit manuscripts of their earlier publications even if they are unrelated to current projects funded by DBT or DST. Journal embargoes will be honoured by these repositories to make the papers openly accessible.

In order to reach the policy to researchers across the country, institutes under DBT and DST will celebrate “Open Access Day” during the International Open Access Week  with sensitising programmes.

We need some cheeky scientists

Posted on by
Reply

As the year drew to a close, I was invited by one of the leading newspaper groups in south India to reflect on the state of India’s science. I have always thought that a crucial factor missing from the country’s science is some cheek, the spirit of adventure, that streak of impertinence which allows researchers to stand up and be counted.

The following piece (reproduced with permission from Hindu Business Line) reflects upon the spirit of constructive irreverence, a key ingredient for scientific research:

India needs a small dose of impertinence in its science

India needs a small dose of impertinence in its science{credit}Federico Rostagno /Alamy{/credit}

Some call it irreverence, some politely couch it as the “questioning spirit”. I call it cheek. That’s what’s missing from Indian science today — the impertinence that made the likes of Raman, Saha and Bose.

Over the years, I have seen students get into undergraduate science streams, bubbling with the passion of becoming biotechnologists, nuclear physicists and electronic engineers. In just about a year, they lose steam, bogged down primarily by the examination system that leaves no room for any other creative pursuit. Halfway into their ‘dream streams’, most of these students are either regretting their decision or are resigned to a no-fun future restricted to earning a living through science. By the end of their courses, many turn away from the subjects they initially thought would be the love of their lives, or just stick around in labs carrying out orders from uninspiring seniors.

What is with this country’s science administration that strips our youngsters of their cheekiness, a crucial factor in the pursuit of science? Why is asking questions of senior scientists seen as a mark of irreverence?

Contrary to the spirit of science, why is it that we see science, scientists and policymakers recoil when faced with uncomfortable questions? What is robbing the happiness of our young researchers — most of whom are encouraged to become androids pushing copycat science?

The lack of cheek has pervaded the science administration so deep that when eminent scientist C. N. R. Rao stood up to question the state of India’s scientific funding after receiving the Bharat Ratna last month, the scientific community was pleasantly surprised. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s scientific advisor wasn’t alone in his concern. His public expression of disappointment with the system is the outcome of long years of fighting the system. It is this outrage that many in the science community in India feel but seldom express.

Boom times

These are boom times for Indian science. The national spending on science and technology has gone up in the last few years and is inching towards two per cent of India’s GDP. Though many would still call it peanuts compared to other science-faring nations, it isn’t as bad as the last decade. Hordes of new institutes are coming up, but many feel that simply increasing the number of institutes will not lead to scientific prowess. It is, in fact, a catch-22 situation. The education system needs a complete rethink in order to attract more students to science and produce world class scientists.

India has registered an annual growth rate of more than 12 per cent in scientific publications in Science Citation Indexed journals in the last 5-6 years which compares well to the global average of 4 per cent. India’s global ranking in the number of publications has also seen relative improvement — from 15th position in 2000 to 10th in 2009 and improving.

Given the background, it should look like it is really hunky-dory for scientists working in India. Though good science and research are happening in some brilliant pockets of India, things are not as cheerful in a majority of labs.

Too many bumps

The lion’s share of scientific R&D in India is government-controlled. Scientists complain about the bureaucratic handling of science, poor pay and personal development opportunities, lack of amenities and stifling work environments where new ideas are not allowed to flow freely.

India is also accused of doing ‘copycat science’, duplicating work already done in western countries. The Prime Minister urges scientists to think out of the box and expresses concern over the red tape in science administration at every meeting of the Indian Science Congress. India hasn’t seen a home-grown Nobel Laureate since Sir C. V. Raman who got the prize for physics in 1930, and that is something the government rues time and again.

Also, the ‘publish or perish’ principle of scientific success results in a lot of junior scientists complaining that their seniors take the credit for work they have done and fail to acknowledge them. A lot of angry voices complain about corruption and one-upmanship in Indian labs.

While a handful of such cases have been taken seriously and those found guilty removed from their positions, there is no empirical data to prove that this might be a widespread phenomenon.

However, having said that, it must be conceded that there are labs in this country where the spirit of scientific inquiry is alive. Ideas float around merrily here.

Many of these ideas might be brutally shot down for their sheer craziness by friendly seniors (who prefer to be addressed by their first names). But those that survive are brilliant. That is a democratic and profitable scheme, as against labs that ask for written approval even to ideate!

A scientist friend made a particularly bold statement that I must quote: “Bureaucracy is not something I am bothered about, I can handle that. The sole aim of my lab is to get a Nobel for India soon. That’s what keeps me going.” Good luck, mate!

The spirit is alive. In pockets.

C N R Rao not alone in his anger

Posted on by
Reply

Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao was ‘surprised‘ at receiving India’s highest civilian honour ‘Bharat Ratna’ last week. What pleasantly surprised the rest of the scientific community in this country was his vocal outpouring at the state of science funding in India. Though Rao has always advocated more funding for science and rued the lack of a strong science leadership in India, his current outburst calling politicians ‘idiots who have not given this country’s scientists their due’, is the most scathing on the country’s science bureaucracy. Rao later dismissed the hullabaloo saying the remarks were made ‘casually’ and that he did not ‘mean to be harsh’.

To an email seeking to understand this widely reported outburst, Rao replied, “There was no outburst on my part.  I only wondered  about the idiocy of people.” Rao said he feels that India should take up rejuvenation of scientific and educational institutions on a “war footing”. “Competition is increasing by the hour. I want India to be in the top 5 countries in science. Will it be?”

Seeking to clarify, Rao told a television channel that he thought he was speaking informally “to friends”. He said  the ‘idiot politicians’ remark was not made ‘out of anger’ but out of his concern over inadequate funding for science and his frustration to get the allocations increased to make India a scientific power.

TOSHIBA Exif JPEGBesides this, he also coaxed Indian researchers to work harder, “as hard as the Chinese”. “Starting next year, China will top the world with 16.5% of world research publications, overtaking even the US. The quantity of publication of research papers from India have remained at 2-3%. India is the worst. China is doing exascale and petascale computing. I am fighting with the government to invest money in computing,” he was quoted as saying.

Rao’s public expression of anger (or frustration as he chooses to call it) is the outcome of long years of fighting the system. That he used the occasion of announcement of the Bharat Ratna to air his feelings so strongly does not come as unusual to peers, colleagues and friends to know the fiery-spirited scientist for long years. “Knowing him well I can say CNR’s  comment about politicians is only an emotional outburst,” Valangiman Ramamurthi, former secretary to the Department of Science and Technology told Nature India.

It is this outrage that many in the science community in India feel but seldom express. Some do, but are rarely heard. A Nature India forum post discussed the issue of scientific funding some time back quite aggressively and another one was replete with issues that young scientists face in this country.

Coming from Bharat Ratna Rao — all of 79 and raring to go (his wife says he is still a ‘young scientist’ with lots of science in him) —  it will certainly be taken rather seriously. Or so one hopes. Rao happens to be the scientific adviser to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and recently created a buzz with a Scientific Advisory Council report which warned that the present situation in India is “not altogether encouraging” as there are many areas of science where India has fallen behind even small countries. Rao was the first Indian to reach the h-index of 100, publishing more than 1,500 research papers in his career spanning over five decades (h-index is based on the scientist’s publications and the number of citations they receive). He has close to 50,000 citations.

Rao is generally praised for his outspokenness though this time many thought the reference to politicians could have been avoided. The scientist himself is not new to controversy — once famously having said that information technology (IT) is not science and India is only producing ‘IT coolies’.
Here’s hoping Rao’s raging spirit culminates in some positive action in India’s government corridors. It will only be for the good of science in India.