National Conference Showcasing Cutting Edge
Science and Technology by Women begins in New
Delhi
KAPIL SIBAL ANNOUNCES
NEW INITIATIVES FOR WOMEN SCIENTISTS
National Conference
on Showcasing Cutting Edge Science & Technology
by Women began in New Delhi today with the President
of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil calling upon
women scientists to bring about significant change by
working at the grassroot level for women’s empowerment.
Addressing the gathering which included a large number
of women scientists from across the country and young
science students at the Vigyan Bhavan, the first woman
President of India said that the participation of women
in the dynamic field of science is central not only
in our efforts for gender equality but also to make
women stakeholders of the future construct of the world.
She lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Science and
Technology in promoting women scientists.
Union Minister for Science and Technology
Shri Kapil Sibal who presided over the function pledged
to continue with his endeavours to provide a level playing
field to women scientists and announced that all DST
Aided Institutions would -
provide flexible working hours
for women scientists having children up to the age
of 3 years.
support the construction of women’s
residential blocks; and
allocate financial support to establish
a state-of-art crèche facility in all institutions.
And for young women scientists
in India who are associates of INSA, there will be
provision for a research grant of upto Rs.10 lakhs
a year for a period of 5 years.
Shri Kapil Sibal said that recognizing
the ground reality of women in science, the Ministry
has taken fledgling steps to empower women to have their
rightful role in science and technology activities thereby
contributing to accelerated national development. As
a first step, he said, the Task Force for Women in Science
was set up to raise and address issues and problems
of women scientists and come up with solutions to enable
women scientists and technologists to realize and contribute
value of their creative talents to national advantage.
He said that nearly 2,000 women scientists have benefited
by the Women Scientists Fellowship Scheme that gives
women scientists a spectrum of options to choose from
depending upon their aptitude, need, age and family
situation.
Dr. Girija Vyas, Chairperson, National
Commission for Women, in her keynote address, said that
Science and Technology has helped India to stand up
to the challenges of the modern world. While observing
that the atrocities on women are on the rise, she lauded
the efforts of the Science and Technology Ministry in
the area of Gender Budgeting.
On the occasion which also marked
the International Women’s day, the Department of
Science and Technology conferred the National Award
for Women’s Development through Application of
Science & Technology for the year 2007 to Dr. Rani
Bang, SEARCH, Gadchiroli and Dr. K. Vijaya Lakshmi,
Development Alternatives, New Delhi and National Women
Bio-scientist Award 2007 to Dr. Mitali Mukherjee, Institute
of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, Dr. Sangita
Mukhopadhyay of Centre of DNA Fingure Printing and Diagnostics,
Hyderabad and Dr. Sujata Sharma, AIIMS.
Earlier, welcoming the delegates,
Dr. Mahtab Bamji, Chairperson of the National Task Force
for women in science, called upon fellow women scientists
to enthuse young women in science to continue their
work.
Dr. T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department
of Science and Technology proposed the vote of thanks.
The two-day conference has been organized
by the Department of Science and Technology at the initiative
of the National Task Force for Women in Science. The
main purpose of the Conference is to provide an opportunity
to women scientists to present their work in select
areas such as biology of infectious diseases, advances
in non–communicable diseases, aerospace and defence
technologies, climate change, nanotechnology and nano-materials
and plant biotechnology.
Source:
Press Information Bureau Date: March 08, 2008
