Rukhmabai initiatives Stories of women
in stem

Inclusive storytelling about accomplished Indian women in STEM, written by women journalists from India

Rukhmabai grants 2025 We're thrilled to
announce the new Grantees!

Our newest cohort has been carefully selected from the dozens of submissions we received from incredible science writers and journalists eager to contribute towards building inclusive spaces in Indian STEM.

Saishya Duggal

Saishya Duggal is a public policy and impact consulting professional working at the intersection of tech, finance, and climate policy. She has undertaken projects with the UP Govt., the World Bank group, and Indian NBFCs. A graduate of Delhi University, her work emphasises the value of STEM in policy and its implementation. Her previous professional stints include those with Invest India and Ericsson.

Puja Bhattacharjee

Puja Bhattacharjee is an independent journalist based in Kolkata and writes about health, science, environment, gender, justice, rights, policy and culture.

Jayanti Dutta

Jayanti Dutta is a Professor at Panjab University, Chandigarh and has been rooted in the academic ecosystem for over 25 years. With a PhD in Cytogenetics, her scientific journey began with a microscope but soon expanded to encompass training, mentoring, writing and public engagement in higher education. She takes pride in enabling educators to perform their roles more meaningfully. Her publications based on interdisciplinary exploration move between research, creative non-fiction, book criticism and science popularisation. She finds stories in classrooms, laboratories, public places and city corners, and tries to tell them with honesty and wonder.

Stories From Rukhmabai Edition 5

Why marine conservation in India needs fishers, and consumers, on its side

By Puja Bhattacharjee

From moonlit turtle patrols in Chennai to reshaping how India eats fish, marine conservationist Divya Karnad has built a people-first model of ocean stewardship.

How an anthropologist helped facilitate first contact with ‘hostile’ Andaman & Nicobar tribes

By Jayanti Dutta

Madhumala Chattopadhyay spent six years living among the tribes of the Andaman Islands, and her career shows how ethical responsibility is central to meaningful fieldwork.

Reading chaos: How an IIT Delhi hydrologist is rethinking floods and droughts

By Puja Bhattacharjee

As climate volatility reshapes India’s rivers and cities, Dhanya CT studies the patterns beneath floods and droughts to build systems of early warning.