The answer to question - 'Famous scientists from India" has many renowned names. But the fact that almost all of them are male i also true. It's time we open our eyes and give the due credit to women as-well.
Janaki Ammal
Edavaleth Kakkat (4 Nov 1897 to Feb 1984)
Janaki was a well-known botanist with her field of research
in cytogenetic and phytogeography. In a big
family of six brothers and five sisters
where girls were mostly expected to study arts, Janaki choose a different path
and pursued her honors degree in botany from Presidency
College in 1921.
Moving ahead in her
carrer, she was working as a cytologist
at the Royal
Horticultural Society at Wisley from 1945 to 1951 when she returned to India on the special invitation
of Jawaharlal Nehru.
Her awards include:
Her awards include:
- Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences in 1935
- Fellow of the Indian National Science Academy in 1957
- Honorary LL.D. by University of Michigan in 1956
- Padmashri by Government of India in 1957
There are also awards in her name;
“National Award of Taxonomy”
instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Government of
India in 2000
“E.K. Janaki Ammal Award”
instituted in 1999
Image and information Source:
Kamala Sohonie
Initially, she was denied admission to Indian Institute of
Science,Bangalore (renowned scientific laboratory) as a result of gender bias. With
her determination and self-confidence, she finally managed to get the admission
(with some shocking conditions being a woman) and there has been no looking for
her back after that. It was her dedication and hard work which made Prof. C.V.
Raman (the first Asian Nobel laureate in Physics) to change his mind on female
students and open the gates of his prestigious institute for women the very
next year.
The lady with zeal of steel was invited by Dr Satyavati
(first woman DG of ICMR and Chairperson of IndianCouncil of Medical
Research) at the age of 84 for the facilitation of her significant work.
Unfortunately, Kamala collapsed and passed away at the venue.
Image and information source:
While there are many other notable women scientists in
history, the present era also has women making the list longer.
Tessy Thomas (1964 to
present)
Better known as the “Missile Woman”, Tessy is the Project
Director for Agni-IV missile in Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) . Her childhood was spent near a rocket launching station
which served as her fascination towards missiles and rockets. The lady has also
been quoted by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as – “w oman making
her mark in a traditionally male bastion and decisively breaking the glass
ceiling”.
Award:
Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for her
outstanding contribution for making India self-reliant in the field of missile
technology.
Image and information source:
This post is written as a part of April 2015 A to Z
Challenge. My theme for this year is Women
In A to Z Professions. Click at the link to check other
professions women have excelled in and their respective links.
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