This week I was rummaging through data to understand what it means to be a scientist in India. I poured into fresh government policy documents, funding proposals and announcements. I read again the Prime Minister’s address to the Indian Science Congress. I pursued with interest the angry voices of post-docs and scientists in the Nature India forum. I spoke to women scientists who have their share of problems. And some more.

All this in a week that saw one of the biggest fights against corruption on Indian soil by Gandhian Anna Hazare and thousands of his followers. The issue of corruption and nepotism in the scientific administration in India has also been a topic of hot debate in the Nature India forum.

The result of this research was a guest blog piece I wrote on invitation from Nature Network. The piece aims to aid the monthly discussion series Science Online NYC (SoNYC) held in New York City where invited panellists talk about a particular topic related to how science is carried out and communicated online. The topic this time would cover, among other things, science in developing countries.

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