Nallathamby Kalaiselvi Becomes First Woman Director Of CSIR

In a move that is bound to inspire more and more Indian girls and women to enter STEM fields, the Council Of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has announced the appointment of its first woman director—Nallathamby Kalaiselvi—in almost 80 years since its inception. Kalaiselvi is a senior electrochemical scientist known for her work on lithium ion batteries. Her appointment is for a period of two years, with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders. She will also hold the charge as secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

But this is not the first time Kalaiselvi broke the glass ceiling for Indian women scientists. Starting her career as an entry-level scientist, she rose through the ranks of the CSIR to become the first woman scientist to head the Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI), Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu in 2019. Her origins lie in Ambasamudhram, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district.

Kalaiselvi is now set to succeed Shekhar Mande as the head of CSIR, which is a consortium of 38 state-run research institutes spread across the country. Her appointment has been hailed as the coming of a new era in Indian science by leaders across the scientific fields in India and the world.