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 It was a curious gathering, comprising women – and only women – drawn from all strata of society, including the lower middle, and a class lower than that. There, on the dais, a simple looking woman was addressing them. And what could be the subject? Just take a wild guess. Congratulate yourself if you got it right. It was on proliferation of nuclear weapons and its consequences.
Believe it or not. The speaker addressing such a simple audience was one among the six – repeat only six – eminent researchers in India, in the department of High Energy Physics.
Dr. Indumathy works in the maths-science research centre in Taramani. She considers it a mission in her life to take science to the street corner. To disseminate information to the common man.
Her father was a scientist in the army. Indumathy used to accompany her father to his lab, when she was studying in the Good Shepherd Convent. Her love for science sprouted at that time. After her post-graduation in science from the Madras Christian College, she did her Ph.D. in the research centre in Taramani, Chennai. She pursued her postdoctoral research in three different places, including Germany. ‘The feeling of amazement and awe that filled me in my childhood continues to drive me in my research and my pursuits’ says
Indumathy.
Women in general do not pursue science as passionately as she does. What could be the reason? Indumathy feels that this due to sociological reasons. ‘When I did my master’s degree, girls equalled the number of boys in the class. There were only five women, who did their Ph.D. with me. I was the only woman researcher in my post-doctoral pursuit, in Germany. We have some consolation therefore that we are not alone in the world, in this respect!’
‘Generally, they get married after their Ph.D. It is followed by childbirth and other related events. They are not able to withstand the pressures two different directions – family and their research – and naturally they move away. I have seen this happen in many instances.’
How about Indumathy, then? ‘My husband is very supportive. He has understood my needs and priorities. It is not possible for anyone to concentrate on research and to tend to a child, at the same time. We therefore decided – right at the time of our marriage – that we would not have children at least in the initial stages.’
But why? Is it not possible to manage both? ‘No. The demands of our research are such that we may have to work continuously for 18 to 20 hours a day. Since research work is brain-oriented, the resultant mental strain is comparatively higher. The pressure for us is from within. Not external. It is not at all possible to look after your home, children and pursue your research, simultaneously.’
‘It is ten years since we got married. Now that we are reasonably settled, we have enough room for a child in our life.’
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