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India is nurturing and investing substantially in young scientists and innovators by offering multiple platforms and fellowships that reward excellence and an interdisciplinary approach to research for societal impact, said experts at a webinar on ‘How to Make a Successful Career in Research’, presented by Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, in association with The Hindu Education Plus under the ‘Career Path Series’. A. Nirmala Grace, director, Centre for Nanotechnology Research, VIT, Vellore, said: “It needs a combination of specialised skills, developing deep domain expertise, a proactive approach to networking and publishing in journals with clear audiences to increase citations, visibility, and credibility.” Speaking on guiding students keen on building a strong and fulfilling career in research, Jobel Jose, a research scholar in VIT, Vellore, said: “Research should be sustainable and address a pressing issue in order to directly impact society. It should also be application-oriented as it would have to be later incorporated with a widely accepted business model.” The panellists stressed that research was an increasingly vibrant landscape for discovery and innovations and building a successful career is cakewalk. However, they cautioned that it was a field loaded with academia, hence a strong educational background with continuous learning was required. Mr. Jobel also highlighted the importance of mentorship in research programmes. “Constructive feedback and guidance from the mentor helps in identifying blind spots, promoting faster growth, and making smarter career decisions,” he said. Noting her transition from academia to industry, Vaishali Kulkarni, founder and chief executive officer, KBCols Sciences Private Limited, Pune, said: “It taught me to be patient and analytical, the essential complementary skills required in applications of your research.” Ms. Nirmala pointed out that funding and industry opportunities do send researchers in search of greener pastures overseas, but now Indian students, with the right guidance at good institutions within the country, are able to identify emerging research frontiers. To watch the full webinar, visit: https://newsth.live/THVITYL
