Chennai (3 November 2021): M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) entered into an agreement to institute Hema Ramachandran Fellowship for Women Scientists to improving gender equality in scientific research.

Mr G P Ramachandran spouse of late Prof Dr HEMA RAMACHANDRAN, has instituted an endowment at MSSRF titled ‘The Hema Ramachandran fellowship for Women Scientists’ to commemorate her scientific contributions and pave the way for women scientist to get back to the research career. Mr G P  Ramachandran and Dr Madhura Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF signed an MoU at the Foundation’s Chennai Headquarter.

“This agreement is entered into in the Spirit of Service to Humanity” said Mr G P  Ramachandran. “It will help in improving gender equality in scientific research” he said after signing the MoU. The Foundation established in 1988 to employ appropriate and relevant science and technological tools in addressing the challenges being faced by the rural communities.

The mandate of the MSSRF is to undertake and disseminate strategic, applied, anticipatory and participatory research, based on a pro-nature, pro-poor, pro-women and pro-livelihood orientation to technology development and dissemination.

“This Post-Doctoral fellowship will encourage women scientists to take up research work in any of the scientific areas of the Foundation” said Dr Madhura Swaminathan, Chairperson, MSSRF.

About Late Prof Dr  Hema Ramachandran

Late Prof Dr Hema Ramachandran, experimental scientist at the Raman Research Institute Bangalore and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) & breathed her last on 24 November 2020 at the age of 58, after a prolonged illness.

She is survived by her husband, Mr G P  Ramachandran. As a scientist, she had illustrious career. Hema’s scientific career began in 1984 in the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Trombay, where she specialized in High Pressure Crystallography. She also honoured by the INSA Young Scientist Award. In July 1995, she joined the Raman Research Institute as a faculty and initiated the Optics programme. Her research programme dealt with light propagation in random media with or without amplification.

In 1998, she ventured into atomic physics by beginning the Cold Atoms programme at the Raman Research Institute. Her early efforts in setting up the Optics and Atomic Physics groups, and her persistent actions towards the advancement of the same, have now culminated into a flourishing Light and Matter Physics Group at the RRI, which enjoys prominence all over the world.

In the later part of her career she focused on the development of innovative technologies related to the brain computer interface and was also passionate about setting up teaching laboratories. She was also a role model to young researchers, particularly women.