HYDERABAD: Terming caste as a big issue in India when it comes to the education of girls, Prof Abha Sur of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA, on Thursday said the fair sex should always aim high. However, she felt this could be achieved only when every girl in the country was educated.
She was speaking at a seminar on “A History of Triumph and Tribulations: Indian Women Scientists” held at the University of Hyderabad. Questioning why the word 'genius' is always used with reference to males, she cited the examples of women scientists like Lalitha Chandrasekaran, Sunanda Bai and Anamani, who were closely associated with the CV Raman’s Laboratory, and wondered why they couldn't be called geniuses.
Prof. Abha said that every girl in India must be educated as it helps in improving civic life. “When women are educated, they can help their educated husbands and can also properly train their children,” she pointed out.
Scholar in the Gender Studies programme,and trained as a research chemist, Prof Sur is also the author of “Dispersed Radiance” -- which deals with pioneering Indian women scientists, whose work as graduate students was supervised by Sir CV Raman. Prof. Rekha Pandey, Head, Centre for Women Studies and Prof Bindu A Bambah were also present.