DRESSED IN A simple grey cotton sari and black-framed glasses, 91-year-old Dr Sudha Padhye, a former physicist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), cuts an unassuming figure. But as she begins talking about her views on women pursuing careers in STEM, the facade of the polite grandmother melts away and the steely-eyed scientist emerges. "Why are women afraid of technology and science? Their mindset and what they've been led to believe is that they won't understand it. But I don't buy all that," she says dismissively.
As a member of what might be called the first cohort of professional women scientists in India, Dr Padhye has earned the right to have strong opinions. In a world designed for and dominated by men, she struggled to be taken seriously and found that work could be lonely at times. As one of not more than three female students in every classroom, or as a professional in workspaces that did not even have ladies' washrooms, her experiences mirror those of many who dare to step outside of the confines outlined for them by India's heteropatriarchy. Spurred by the challenges she faced, Dr Padhye dedicated her life to clearing out these roadblocks for other women in science as a founding member of the Indian Women Scientists' Association (IWSA), a professional organisation that has grown to over 2,000 individuals and 11 branches across India in the 50 years since its inception.
This story is from the January - February 2024 edition of VOGUE India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January - February 2024 edition of VOGUE India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Breathe In, Breathe Out
A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork
Red Pill, Blue Pill
India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum
Sign of the times
No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily
Return to form
Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports
Dimple, All Day
YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone
Let it grow
When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.
Beauty and the feast
The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.
Sweet serendipity
From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.
