Aarti Sevilimedu, Principal Research Scientist at Dr Reddy’s Institute of Life Sciences (DRILS), shares her insights on working with rare diseases in India. In this “10 Women, 10 Questions” she highlights her career journey and also the different initiatives on developing treatment for rare diseases in India.

Science isn’t a luxury—it’s a way to understand and navigate the world,” says Somdatta Karak, biologist and science communicator. In this interview, she recounts her journey from Teach For India to spearheading pioneering outreach programmes at CSIR-CCMB. From empowering underrepresented students through projects such as Milo CCMB and Project Abhilasha to constructing mentorship bridges between scientists and learners, Somdatta presents an unassailable argument for inclusive, experiential, and value-based science education in India.

Citizen science is research conducted with the help of the general public, where amateur, non-professional, and passionate individuals are provided with an opportunity to contribute to science. It serves as a medium to foster scientific curiosity and collaboration between scientists and society, enabling individuals to contribute to data collection, organisation, and analysis—which are key elements in evidence-based decision-making and addressing community challenges through research and policy initiatives. Additionally, it also helps alleviate the workload and conserve the bandwidth of scientists and experts, allowing them to focus better on advancing research and innovation.

The relentless pursuit of knowledge in the world of scientific research often comes at a cost. Demanding deadlines, intense competition, and the pressure to publish groundbreaking results frequently lead to overwhelming stress and burnout among researchers. This is a global phenomenon, but the impact is particularly acute in rapidly developing nations like India, where resources are limited, and the pressure to contribute significantly to the global scientific landscape is immense.

Imagine Raj from the movie, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge rushing to Balwant Singh’s store to buy an antibiotic without a prescription. How would and should Singh react to this? If Raj is buying the antibiotic for Singh’s dear daughter, Simran, would those reactions change?