Q. Have you attended a YIM before? How was your experience?

Karishma Kaushik: Well, here goes! I was a Young Investigator (YI) at YIM Guwahati in 2019, a co-organiser for the first virtual YIM in 2021, a mentor at the second virtual YIM in 2022, a speaker at YIM 2023 in Gandhinagar & Ahmedabad, and now as part of IndiaBioscience for YIM 2024 at Bhopal and YIM 2025 at Agra.

Rohini Garg: I have not attended YIM but had been a co-organiser for one of the regional YIMs. It was a great experience to connect with the life sciences community.

Anil Challa: Yes, as a YI in 2009, the first ever-YIM by IndiaBioscience. I had a great time. It was a very valuable networking event that enabled me to forge several collaborations in undergraduate education.

Q. Why did you choose to be a part of the organising team for YIM 2025?

Rohini Garg: YIM provides a great platform for YIs and Postdoctoral Fellows (PDF) to connect with each other and with mentors, who can support them during their scientific journey in India. I like to think of my role as an enabler, bringing people together for discussions on their scientific goals and how one can navigate the research space in India.

Karthick Balasubramanian: I chose to be part of the YIM 2025 organising team because it is a great platform to promote collaboration among YIs and senior scientists. As someone who hasn’t attended YIM before, I bring a fresh perspective and look forward to contributing to meaningful discussions and networking opportunities.

Q. What do you think the participating YIs and PDFs can hope to gain from this YIM?

Karishma Kaushik: I would strongly recommend that YIs and PDFs leverage this YIM to better understand the diverse opportunities to engage with the wider life science ecosystem in India. This was the driving force in designing the YIM 2025 programme which includes sessions focused on funding for life science research in India, grant writing, research ethics, biotech entrepreneurship, pedagogical practices, advances in publishing, and many more. It will provide a broad overview of the aspects, intersections, and considerations when engaging with life science in India.

Rohini Garg: They should connect with others, interact with mentors, present their research, and find collaborators.

Karthick Balasubramanian: YIs and PDFs can network with peers, senior scientists, and potential recruiters. They can gain insights into building academic careers, align with recruiter expectations, and explore collaborations. 

YIs and PDFs will also learn about funding opportunities and India’s scientific ecosystem.

Q. Any specific session/​talk that you are looking forward to at YIM 2025?

Karishma Kaushik: I would say the ​‘Ask Us Anything’ sessions at the PDF Satellite Meeting! These are going to be open, spontaneous, and interactive sessions between the PDFs and institutional representatives, and I am looking forward to listening to what is the most prominent concern in a postdoctoral fellow’s mind when they think of returning to India as faculty. Also, it would be interesting to see how directors and heads of institutes present opportunities and solutions to existing challenges and considerations in the life sciences in India.

Rohini Garg: I am looking forward to the ​‘Opportunities and challenges in graduate/​PhD training in India’ panel discussion on Day 3. I am also excited for the EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Global Lecture Series talk by Julie Welburn. 

Anil Challa: I think the panel discussion on graduate training in India would be interesting. I am keen to hear the panellists’ views.

Karthick Balasubramanian: I am particularly looking forward to the talks ​‘When Darwin meets Pasteur’ and ​‘Blending research and teaching: towards a rewarding academic life,’ as they promise to provide unique perspectives on integrating interdisciplinary research and balancing academic roles effectively.

Q. What do you think is unique about YIM 2025?

Karishma Kaushik: YIM 2025 incorporates many unique elements into the programme such as an informational webinar for prospective applicants, a pre-event session for selected applicants, a mini-workshop, to name a few. 

We also have widespread representation from government bodies, industry, publishing houses, and central, state, and private academic institutions.

Another unique and special aspect is the inclusion of two international mentors (out of 3) from the Global South (Nepal and Taiwan), something which is very meaningful for YIs in India and postdocs looking to return to India. I am also looking forward to the group visit to the Taj Mahal; it is only befitting to visit a one-of-a-kind monument during a one-of-a-kind meeting!

Karthick Balasubramanian: YIM 2025 is unique for its focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and blending research with teaching. 

There would be fresh perspectives from first-time attendees and organisers, fostering meaningful discussions and networking — truly a ​‘Wow Taj’ experience for participants.

Q. Which aspect of work are you looking after at this YIM?

Karishma Kaushik: Two major aspects: executing this meeting with Team IndiaBioscience and engaging with participants, speakers, mentors, resource personnel, and colleagues.

Rohini Garg: I am involved in accommodation and organising the Taj Mahal Tour. I am also incharge of the poster session arrangements where YIs and PDFs will be able to showcase their work to colleagues and other attendees.

Anil Challa: I am the moderator on Day 2 of YIM where we have sessions under the themes of ​‘Funding for life science researchers in India’ and an open Q&A with funding agency representatives. I am also moderating the panel discussion on opportunities and challenges in graduate/​PhD training in India.

Karthick Balasubramanian: I am involved in selecting participants based on their abstracts and have actively participated in all organising team meetings. I am also managing travel claims jointly with Shwetha from IndiaBioscience. I will be coordinating a breakout session on ​‘Setting up and running a life science research group in India.’ Additionally, I will be moderating the events on 05 March 2025.

Q. Please share any ​‘behind-the-scenes’ anecdote or personal experience as a YIM organiser.

Karishma Kaushik: After the widespread appreciation for the way YIM 2024 showcased Gond art from Madhya Pradesh, there was higher pressure to do even better this time! With the Taj Mahal being sine qua non in the context of a meeting in Agra, I knew we would have to draw the iconic monument into our creative design. However, we wanted to add our own twist to it. So instead of featuring the monument in its entirety, we took inspiration from the inlay marble art (parchin kari) that adorns the Taj Mahal. 

The Mughal motifs represent art from the Taj Mahal and were specially sourced by IndiaBioscience from the craft workshops in Fatehabad, Agra.

Anil Challa: Working with the IndiaBioscience team in the organisation of the event is a very special experience. It is one thing to participate in an event but a totally different thing to help organise it. It is a lot of work that may seem unimportant at times but is essential to make the event happen, and the task is not complete until the last day of the event. I have had the privilege of contributing to several aspects of the organisation, but I feel the best is yet to come over the duration of the meeting. I am looking forward to that experience.

Karthick Balasubramanian: A memorable experience has been reading and scouring abstracts spanning various aspects of biological sciences and learning about the fascinating journeys of participants. Another memory in the making is the upcoming battle with travel claims at Agra, which I’m sure will be both challenging and unforgettable!

Q. What has been the most rewarding part of being a YIM 2025 organiser?

Karishma Kaushik: I recollect pitching YIM 2025 in Agra to Sanjeev Galande from Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence (SNIoE) at YIM 2024 Bhopal. He was on board instantly, and I am grateful and thrilled that we are making this happen! I enjoyed putting the YIM 2025 programme together with our board member Rashna Bhandari and the co-organisers, reaching out to colleagues and resource personnel, building partnerships, and seeing the five-day programme take shape. I hope the YIs and PDFs enjoy participating in it as much as we did creating it!

Karthick Balasubramanian: The most rewarding part of being a YIM 2025 organiser has been the chance to read so many abstracts outside my research area, which has broadened my perspective. I’m also excited to meet young minds at the event and learn from senior scientists, especially their views on recruiting. Organising a national-level event has been a great learning experience, and I’ve gained valuable organisational skills from the IndiaBioscience team.

The co-organisers and team IndiaBioscience take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to YIM 2025 attendees!