Scientists, eminent: India
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Most cited scientists
All-time; 2019
Chandrima Banerjee, November 11, 2020: The Times of India
6 desi scientists among top 10 in their fields
Six scientists from India rank among the top 10 contributors to their fields globally, and 11 are among the 10 most cited in their fields over the past year.
The list, compiled by researchers from Stanford University, Elsevier Research Intelligence and SciTech Strategies last month, is an updated database of the top scientists in the world. Of the 1.6 lakh most cited scientists in the world of all time, 1,490 are from India. Among those most cited over the past year, 2,313 are from India. Given the vast differences between research disciplines, the paper says, “We discourage raw comparisons of scientists across very different fields.”
Within their own subfields, 26 Indian scientists figure among the top 50 most cited scientists in the careerlong list and 66 among the top 100. The metrics over the past year are even better — 44 among the top 50 in their own subfields. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has an edge over all other institutes in India, with 94 scientists on the all-time list and 97 on the past year’s list. Next come the IITs — Delhi (64 all-time, 81last year), Kharagpur (43 and 68) and Bombay (40 and 50).
So, do the top-ranked scientists think there is enough institutional support? “I gave up thinking about this long ago,” the top Indian scientist and the second most cited globally in inorganic & nuclear chemistry, Gautam R Desiraju from IISc in Bengaluru, told TOI. When asked if there is funding, administrative support and the right platforms for research, he said, “No.” Imran Ali from Jamia Millia Islamia, the top Indian scientist in 2019 and the second most cited in analytical chemistry said that funding is a major challenge. The problem might be systemic. “India has the ecosystem … but neither is it available to thos who deserve nor is it provided in a fair manner. Compared to developed countries and even most developing countries, our governmental science and technology budget is too less,” said Ashok Pandey, a biotechnologist from the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research. According to Unesco, India spends just about 0.7% of its GDP on research.
A lot also depends on the field. The only two theoretical physicists from India on the list, Ashoke Sen and T Padmanabhan, said they have not faced infrastructural challenges. But some scientists think things might be looking up. “I am very positive about the ecosystem being provided by our government over the past 10 years … If you have a research proposal with expected outcomes then there is a good chance of getting funds,” said Ravipudi Venkata Rao from the SV National Institute of Technology in Surat.
In the world’s top league
2018-19: 10 Indians among world’s top 4,000
China 3rd On List With 482 Names
India boasts of eminent science and social science institutes like IISc, IITs, TIFR, JNU and Tiss. Yet, only 10 Indians figure among the world’s top 1% highly-cited researchers (HCR) in the two fields. To top it, some of the 10 are not from the country’s leading institutes. The list, comprising over 4,000 of the globe’s most ‘influential’ researchers has been released by firm Clarivate Analytics.
Eminent scientist and former head of the scientific advisory council to the PM, CNR Rao, figures on the list. More than 80% of the names in the list, which covers over 60 countries, come from only 10 countries. Remarkably, 70% are from just five countries. Among institutions, Harvard University has the highest representation on the list, with 186 names.
While India’s representation is negligible, China with 482 names is third on the list. The US tops the list with 2,639 names and the UK comes second with 546 names. JNU’s Dinesh Mohan, who figures on the list, said that till last year, less than five Indians would be on the list. “This year, they have included an additional category of ‘cross-field’, which took the number to 10,” he said.
Rao said “About 15 years ago, China and India were at the same level. But China contributes to 15-16% of science in the world and ours is only about 3-4%,” he said.
Ashok Pandey, from CSIR’s Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, is the only HCR from CSIR, which has a network of 5,000 scientists.
IIT-Kanpur professor Avinash Agarwal, who is on the list, said applied research does not get enough respect in a country like India, which is obsessed with fundamental research.
The other Indian names on the list are: Alok and Jyoti Mittal (a married couple; Jyoti is the only woman researcher on the list) from NIT Bhopal; Rajnish Kumar from IITMadras; Sanjeeb Sahoo from Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar; Rajeev Varshney from International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad; Sakthivel Rathinaswamy from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
Women scientists
Some famous 20th century scientists
Rohan Dua, March 2, 2020: The Times of India
From: Rohan Dua, March 3, 2020: The Times of India
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From: Rohan Dua, March 2, 2020: The Times of India
One of the first women physicians in the country, a pioneer of India’s weather assessment systems and the first Indian woman to get a doctorate in science. Ahead of International Women’s Day, some of India’s iconic — but perhaps forgotten — women scientists will be brought out of the obscure annals of history and into the spotlight.
The ministries of science and technology and women and child development have identified 11 early 20th-century women scientists in whose honour chairs will be set up in institutes across the country. The range of fields is wide — from cytogenetics to organic chemistry to social sciences. Only women researchers will take up positions and could get research fund up to Rs 1 crore.
The idea behind setting up a chair is to bolster research in the field the person it is named after excelled in.
‘Chairs will inspire girls to follow scientists’ paths’
The only woman from India after whom a Chair has been instituted is Mother Teresa. Last month, the ministry of women and child development had proposed Chairs named after women, for women, across disciplines.
“We hope this will help highlight women who have been at the forefront of science and inspire young girls to follow in their paths,” women and child development minister Smriti Irani told TOI.
Over the next week, the committee, which includes DRDO director general (aeronautical systems) Tessy Thomas and AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabuddhe — will identify the institutes where the Chairs will be set up. These 11 Chairs will be set up for an initial period of five years, which can be extended on the basis of research requirements.
