The International Daughter Day is observed annually on September 28th, serving as a reminder to discard the old societal view that a son is a blessing while a daughter is a burden.

Historical Background

• Bhaskara and Lilavati: In the twelfth century, the mathematician Bhaskara composed Lilavati, a poetic treatise on arithmetic that tradition links to his daughter.
  • The book contains problems such as the Pearl Necklace Problem, Travelers Problem etc.
• Doctrine of Lapse: The British East India Company policy, where states were seized if the ruler lacked a natural son, increased patriarchy. 
  • Rani Lakshmibai suffered greatly due to this, as her son was adopted.

Post-Independence Progress

• Low Participation in 1951: Women formed only a small fraction of those enrolled in higher education.
• Near Parity in Enrolment Today: Women now constitute nearly 48% of total enrolment, with near parity in many undergraduate science courses.
• Women in Research & Development: Women make up about one-sixth of India’s R&D personnel, and the number of women principal investigators is steadily rising, though the “leaky pipeline” problem persists.
  • The “leaky pipeline” refers to the phenomenon where individuals, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, progressively leave their fields, especially in STEM and academia, at various stages of their careers.

Pioneering Indian Women in Science

• Breaking Barriers in Science: In the 1930s, Kamala Sohonie fought gender barriers to enter the Indian Institute of Science and became the first Indian woman to earn a PhD in biochemistry.
• Pioneering Women Scientists: Soon after, women like Janaki Ammal in botany, Asima Chatterjee in chemistry, Bibha Chowdhuri in cosmic ray research, and Anna Mani in meteorology proved that women could excel at the highest levels of scientific inquiry.

Women at the Frontiers of Science & Technology

• Space Science: Ritu Karidhal and M. Vanitha played leadership roles in the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) and Chandrayaan-2, while women scientists were central to Chandrayaan-3’s lunar landing.
• Biotechnology: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw built Biocon into a global pharmaceutical company, while Gagandeep Kang became the first Indian woman elected Fellow of the Royal Society for her contributions to vaccine research.
• Defence: Tessy Thomas earned the title of “Missile Woman of India” for her leadership in missile development programmes.
• Medicine: Indira Hinduja achieved India’s first test-tube birth in 1986.
• Mathematics & Physics: Sujatha Ramdorai and Rohini Godbole established India’s global presence in advanced research.

Women in Engineering, Industry & Leadership

• Engineering & Social Impact: Sudha Murty broke barriers as one of the first female engineers on a factory floor and later expanded educational opportunities through the Infosys Foundation.
• Leadership in AI: Shalini Kapoor became India’s first woman IBM Fellow, exemplifying women’s leadership in artificial intelligence.
• Science & Environmental Activism: Vandana Shiva combined scientific training with environmental activism, giving intellectual depth to ecological movements.
• Industrial Leadership & Philanthropy: Lila Poonawalla and Anu Aga demonstrated how women technocrats could successfully blend industrial leadership with education and philanthropy.

Challenges In Women Representation in the field of Science and Technology

• Absence of Women in Leadership at IITs: As of 2025, no Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has had a regular woman director, with the only exception being Preeti Aghalayam at IIT Madras Zanzibar campus.
• Low Representation in Science Academies: Women constitute only 5 to 10 percent of Fellows in India’s top science academies, revealing underrepresentation at the highest levels.
• Institutional and Structural Barriers: Institutional barriers such as inadequate childcare support, limited recognition, and gender bias continue to hinder women’s rise to leadership positions.

Initiatives to promote Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

• Government Initiatives: The Department of Science and Technology runs the Women Scientists Scheme and the KIRAN programme to support women’s research careers.
  • These initiatives aim to reduce gender gaps in science and technology, but their scale remains insufficient compared to the challenges faced.
• Changing Social Attitudes: Families that once discouraged girls from pursuing science now increasingly celebrate their daughters’ achievements.
  • Parents proudly share that their daughters work at ISRO, AIIMS, or leading startups, reflecting a cultural shift.
  • Many women researchers balance family responsibilities alongside rigorous scientific work, challenging stereotypes about gender roles.

Conclusion

Celebrating daughters, especially those advancing in science and technology, is not just about correcting the past—it’s about unlocking human potential. When every daughter can learn, discover, and lead, India moves beyond equality toward greatness.

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