The 6th Women Science Congress was organized on the 4th January, 2017 at Tirupati as a part of the 104th Indian Science Congress. The event was inaugurated by Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and saw several women scientists in attendance such as Ms. Neeta Verma, Director General, National Informatics Centre (NIC), Ms. Tessy Thomas, Director, DRDO’s Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), and Ms. H.S. Savithri, Professor of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
The challenges of women for making it to the top in academia was one of the topic of discussions and the speakers were of the opinion that the achievement of heights in career begins with successful personal life and support from the family. Shri Naidu emphasized that family bonding, an integral part of the Indian ethos, plays a great role in helping women excel in the profession of their choosing.
ISCA General President, Shri D. Narayana Rao suggested that concepts similar to “Work from home” should be introduced for the women scientists, who usually lose close to three years from their professional careers due to two pregnancies on an average. Ms. Neeta Verma, Director General, NIC, encouraged women to have a “killer instinct” and take extra steps in order to stay ahead.
Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu felicitated Ms. Neeta Verma, Ms. Tessy Thomas and Ms. H. S. Savithri at the end of the inauguration ceremony.