India’s Scientific Leadership Now Women-Led: Dr. Jitendra Singh

Now, women are taking the lead in various walks of life, as cited by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. “For example, India’s Aditya-L1 mission is headed by a woman, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and six of its laboratories are led by women, and the Chandrayaan-3 mission had a woman in a leadership role.

This marks a significant shift in our scientific landscape,” he said while addressing the International Women’s Day 2025 celebrations at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL).

Speaking at the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh reflected on the changing landscape of Indian science and administration, noting that women have moved beyond participation to leading key national projects.

“We have graduated from an era of women’s participation to a women-led process,” he remarked, adding that scientific fields once dominated by men are now witnessing an influx of talented women leading from the front. He praised Dr. Kalaiselvi for breaking historical barriers and lauded the achievements of women scientists in major space and atomic energy missions.

The Minister cited the examples of top-ranking women in India’s civil services, a domain that was once male-dominated but now sees women consistently securing top positions. “There was a time when women were rare in STEM education, let alone leadership roles. Today, not only are they excelling, but they are also setting new benchmarks,” he said.

He noted that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) results in recent years have been overwhelmingly led by women, reflecting a broader shift in India’s socio-professional fabric.

Dr. Jitendra Singh also highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiatives in promoting women’s empowerment in science, from increasing women’s representation in Republic Day parades to opening up defense institutions like Sainik Schools and military academies for female cadets. He shared that this year, for the first time, PM Modi handed over his personal social media handle to selected women achievers on International Women’s Day—two of whom hailed from India’s space and nuclear sectors.

Further emphasizing India’s commitment to gender inclusivity in space exploration, Dr. Singh revealed that the upcoming test flight for the Gaganyaan mission will feature a robotic astronaut named ‘Vyommitra,’ a female humanoid. This, he said, is a symbolic acknowledgment of the growing role of women in India’s space endeavours.

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