Context: Recently, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India launched a single online portal on Indian women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine (STEMM) which could help in policy-making to address the challenges of gender gap in sciences.

Key Points

• On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 Feb, 2024, the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi, witnessed the launch of the “Science for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal. 

• Prof Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, initiated this significant step towards addressing gender disparity in science and technology fields.

Addressing Gender Gap Through Policy-Making

• Prof Sood emphasized the significance of the SWATI Portal’s database in shaping policies to tackle the challenges of gender inequality.

• By centralizing information on Indian women and girls in (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine) STEMM fields, this portal aims to bridge the gender gap and promote inclusivity in science and technology.

A Milestone in Indian Science: The First-of-its-kind Portal

• The portal is developed, hosted, and maintained by the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi, under the leadership of Dr. Subhra Chakraborty, Director, NIPGR.

• The SWATI Portal is India’s first of its kind. Dr. Chakraborty highlighted its interactive features, making it a lively place to show women’s achievements in STEMM.

Objectives and Features of SWATI Portal

• The SWATI Portal aims to include every Indian woman in science across all career stages and subjects, spanning academia and industry.

• Its features include an interactive database covering various categories such as icons, faculty members, research fellows, students, entrepreneurs, and professionals in alternate careers. Currently, the portal hosts 3000 ‘WiS Data Cards,’ with plans for dynamic growth.

• To scale up the effort exponentially to include each and every Indian woman in science, across all career stages and subjects, spanning both Academia and the Industry enabling reliable and statistically significant long term research on the issues of equality, diversity and inclusivity in India;

• Inclusion of each and every Indian WiS, career stages, subjects, spanning both Academia and the Industry; Enabling reliable and statistically significant long term research on the issues of equality, diversity and inclusivity in India, developing active search engine and searchable database (Name, Affiliation, Area of Interest).

• The various Sections in the portal include Icons - Awardees (Padma / Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar / Stree Shakti Science Samman) & Directors, Secretaries Academy Presidents; Faculty- Indian Universities, Autonomous organizations including S&T Ministry/ CSIR/ DBT/ DST/ CSIR/ MHRD/ UGC/ GATI/ KIRAN

Empowering Women for a Better Future

• By promoting gender sensitization, mentorship, and skill development, initiatives like the SWATI Portal pave the way for a more inclusive and innovative future, where women play a central role in scientific endeavors.

• The SWATI Portal aims to promote inclusivity, share knowledge, and encourage collaboration among women in STEMM fields. By offering visibility and recognition, it seeks to inspire the next generation of female scientists and entrepreneurs, advancing science and innovation in India and beyond.