Lekshmy Sathee
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Hi everyone
This is Lekshmy Sathee, currently a Senior Scientist, Plant Physiology at ICAR- Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, India.
Briefly, after completing Master’s and PhD from ICAR-IARI, I have embarked on an independent research career in 2009.
Current interests include Plant Nutrio-physiology, Nitrogen use efficiency of cereals, Elevated CO2* Nitrogen interaction and nitrate signaling.
Apart from the research I am passionate about teaching and guiding PG and PhD students which is a highly fulfilling component of my job profile. Currently guiding 6 PhD and 1 MsC students.
Besides my research, I love music and creative writing. Reach me at [email protected] and @lekshmysnair, for discussion on plant science and in particular plant nutrition!!!
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I suppose as a PI, open communication is the key. Frequent lab meetings and conscious effort to address the issues at the grass-root level. Better science happens when we are beyond gender considerations and identify the individual USPs.
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In my view, the skewed ratio has more to do with societal pressure and not with competence at any level. As a woman, I had to get past the societal norms of marriage and settling down (with great family support) until landing my dream career. This scenario may be more true in rural India though. A sizable lot of women candidates stumble and deviate from research career during maternity and child care breaks -which ultimately lag them behind in the race towards becoming a PI. The government is currently doing great in this regard in terms of women scientist projects.
The current pandemic situation itself can dampen the prospects of an early or mid-career woman scientist in becoming a PI if she has child care responsibilities compounded by the inaccessibility of daycare facility or house help professionals.
