Commemorating the discovery of the Raman scattering by the Indian physicist Sir Chandrasekhara Vendkata Raman, 28 February is celebrated as National Science Day.
Every year, National Science Day is celebrated with a theme to make people aware of the importance of science.
This year the Department of Science and Technology decided the theme of National Science Day 2020 is "Women in Science". Last year the theme was "Science for the People and the People for Science."
The 2020 theme of National Science Day is dedicated to women involved in science and also to encourage them to participate more in it. In the last few years, women are taking part in different science and advanced tech fields.
We all know about the valuable contributions of great scientists like C V Raman, Meghnad Saha, and Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam; but most of us are unaware of the contributions of women in the field of science and technology.
So on this National Science Day, let us look at the best Indian women scientists and technocrats who have broken stereotypes and are an example to all.
Known as the "Missile Woman of India", Tessy Thomas is one of India's leading experts in ballistic missiles. She is the project director for the Agni-IV missile at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Tessy is the first woman to lead a missile team in the country.
The founder of India's biggest biotechnology firm, Biocon, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is considered as a pioneer in the field of biotechnology in India.
In the year 2010, she was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world and is on the Forbes global power list as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.
A renowned Indian chemist, Asima Chatterjee is regarded highly for her excellent contributions to the organic chemistry and photochemistry field.
Her most remarkable works cover research on vinca alkaloids and the development of anti-epileptic and anti-malarial drugs. She graduated in chemistry from the Scottish Church College of the University of Calcutta in 1936 and then pursued research.
The first to deliver a test tube baby in India, Indira Hinduja is a gynecologist and infertility specialist based out of Mumbai. She is a pioneer of the gamete intra-fallopian transfer technique (GIFT) and also delivered the first GIFT baby in the country.
Besides, Indira is widely-known for the oocyte donation techniques she has developed for premature ovarian failure and menopausal patients.
Nandini Harinath is a rocket scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre. She has worked on 14 different missions in her 20 years of experience. She worked as deputy operation director in the Mangalyaan mission.
A renowned lady for her great contribution to the field of neuroscience, Shubha Tole is one of the leading women scientists in India. She discovered a master regulator gene that controls the development of the brain's cortex hippocampus and amygdala.
Presently, she is working at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. Shubha has been awarded the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in 2010.
Usha Barwale Zehr is a famous name for producing India's first genetically modified food, the Bt brinjal. She is the Joint Director of Research at Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Limited in Jalna and one of the most sought-after researchers in the Botany field.
An oceanographer and the first Indian woman to travel to Antarctica, Aditi Pant is another famous name among famous women scientists in India. She completes her Ph.D. at London's Westfield College and returned to India to join the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa.
Paramjit Khurana is a renowned name for inventing 'All-Weather Seeds'. She is credited for developing hybrid strains of mulberry, wheat, and rice that are drought resistant.
They can withstand heat and have a higher UV radiation capacity that supports farmers who depend on weather conditions for their crops.
When it comes to leading women in science and technology, Charusita Chakravarty is another reputed name in India. Because of her work based on molecules and the effects of change in molecular bases on DNA proteins, Charusita gained popularity.
She has also worked on Classical and Quantum Monte Carlo, Molecular Dynamics, and the Structure and Dynamics of Liquids. She has been honored with Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize and B.M. Birla Science Award.
So these are the top women scientists and technocrats who have created their mark in India's world of science and technology.