Chandrima Shaha

BIOLOGIST | FIRST EVER WOMAN PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY

Who am I

Chandrima is a biologist and the first ever woman president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA). She assumed office on January 1 this year.  In 85 years of its existence, the Academy has never had a woman president until she took over.

Chandrimawas first elected to INSA in 2008, and served as its Vice President between 2016 and 2018. She specialises in cell biology, and has conducted extensive research about the ‘Leishmania’ parasite which causes Kala Azar. She has also authored over 80 research papers. She has received many awards like the Shakuntala Amirchand Award of ICMR (1992), and the Special Award for 50th Anniversary of DNA Double Helix Discovery (2003) for "significant contributions towards understanding of Cell Death Processes in different Model Organisms.

Being ignored by male colleagues in her early days as a scientist, who wouldn’t even shake hands with a woman scientist, motivated her to keep going no matter what, and establish herself as a successful one.

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