Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India’s Post

Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, delivered today the Keynote Address and felicitated the winners of the Women in STEM Excellence Awards Ceremony organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). During his address, Prof. Sood highlighted the transformative contributions of women in STEM fields throughout history and today. He emphasized the progress India has made in increasing women's participation in STEM education and careers while acknowledging the challenges of gender disparity that persist in advanced stages of STEM careers. He also brought out the need to look more carefully into the unconscious bias in gender parity issues. Prof. Sood outlined impactful initiatives led by the Office of PSA, such as scholarships like the Bayer Fellowship and Biocon Foundation programs through the Manthan platform, and mentorship initiatives that empower women from diverse backgrounds to excel in STEM. Other dignitaries who participated in the event include Dr. VK Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog Official; Dr Brajesh Pandey (Executive Director, INSA); Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Former Senior Adviser, Department of Science & Technology, Government of India; and Ms. Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Chairperson, CII Awards on Excellence for Women in STEM.