Writers put spotlight on women scientists in India

Ms Nandita Jeyaraj (above) and Ms Aashima Dogra started a website called The Life of Science in 2016. They wanted to tell the story of Indian science, with a focus on women scientists because they are rarely seen or talked about. What started as "a s
Ms Nandita Jeyaraj and Ms Aashima Dogra (above) started a website called The Life of Science in 2016. They wanted to tell the story of Indian science, with a focus on women scientists because they are rarely seen or talked about. What started as "a side project" is now a "more than full-time" occupation, said Ms Dogra. The women they have written about now get more recognition. PHOTO: THELIFEOFSCIENCE.COM
Ms Nandita Jeyaraj (above) and Ms Aashima Dogra started a website called The Life of Science in 2016. They wanted to tell the story of Indian science, with a focus on women scientists because they are rarely seen or talked about. What started as "a s
Ms Nandita Jeyaraj (above) and Ms Aashima Dogra started a website called The Life of Science in 2016. They wanted to tell the story of Indian science, with a focus on women scientists because they are rarely seen or talked about. What started as "a side project" is now a "more than full-time" occupation, said Ms Dogra. The women they have written about now get more recognition. PHOTO: THELIFEOFSCIENCE.COM
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When bio-technology graduates Aashima Dogra and Nandita Jeyaraj ran a column that explained path-breaking science research in comics for a children's science magazine, they noticed that many illustrators drew scientists as grey-haired old men holding test tubes.

"There was a stereotype about scientists - that they are all elderly men," said Ms Dogra.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 27, 2019, with the headline Writers put spotlight on women scientists in India. Subscribe