Blog

"This story begins at the end of a trek."

"In your journey, what you will realise is that the past is as complex as the present, so we need all the help we can have- from the physical sciences, humanities and social sciences, to get a complete understanding of our collective past."

"It is said that childhood experiences shape our interests. The hills, trees, insects, beautiful flowers, fallen leaves, the round yellow mushrooms which made me sick, everything found a place in me."

"For a person who started out wondering why and what the point was to work with worms, I am now proud to say that I am a worm scientist."

"I wonder what the spray bottles in the lab think of me."

"I always thought about how reagents might feel when we frequently freeze and thaw. How it may feel from -200C to 40C, -800C to 40C and sometimes liquid nitrogen i.e., -1960C to room temperature. Are they cursing me to experience a similar situation?"

"What truly matters in any journey, whether it is one in science or not. It is the ignition within you… the curiosity and the passion…. As you learn, you’ll understand how far you have traveled, which is way less than the distance ahead to be covered. Patience and humility are key to reaching the destination."

"But one thing I would wish for you to know is that science is so much more than what you are seeing and learning in the textbooks."

"I hope my journey serves as a reminder to other women—especially those who are married or have children—that pursuing your dreams is always possible. With resilience, passion and determination, nothing is truly out of reach."

“We call it a sacrifice and not a killing, to recognise the contribution of mice to the cause of science.”