BW EDUCATION SEP 2022

IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES

Photograph by URBANCOW

ATPhPeLMICyrAiaTdIONS

of Biology

How this life science subject, intertwined with other science disciplines, is of
use to improve quality of life

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 60 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

emember that first of Department, Dept of Biophysics The range of areas
time your teacher at AIIMS, an authority in bioin- of study and
taught you how a formatics, shares how this field
seed sprouts; and requires extensive interpretation specialisations
of biological data. “Hence, it is not that one can
Ryou rushed back just about knowing and under-
from school to try standing biology, basic knowledge devote one’s life to
growing a pea plant of your own; about programming languages is large, including
how you first got a glimpse of a is also required. Similarly, Rakhi
cell or tissue under a microscope Chaturvedi, Head, Department of biotechnology,
or got fascinated by the life forms Biosciences and Bio-engineering, genomics,
contained in various glass con- IIT-Guwahati, describes the appli-
tainers during a visit to the bio cation of technology to plants and microbiology,
lab, and it fanned your curiosity animals to attain results beneficial environmental
to study it further? Starting from to humankind and environment.
that prime point, and first under- science,
standing a bit about the two broad There are a large number of biochemistry,
disciplines of botany and zoolo- industrial applications of life biophysics and
gy, a great number of inquisitive sciences, like use of microbes to bioinformatics,
students have gone on to pursue make cheese and curd, and even among others.
life sciences, and have fanned out the use of anaerobic bacteria to
into a large number of research extract petroleum from soil. The scope of application is im-
and development areas, teaching mense not just abroad but within
at universities, working in policy The range of areas of study and the country. And the government
organisations, working as part of specialisations that one can devote is providing full support at school
industry or even lending expertise one’s life to is also large, including and college level to nurture tal-
to communities. biotechnology, genomics, micro- ent. The National Talent Search
biology, environmental science, Exam for scholarship to deserv-
But the problems that our world biochemistry, biophysics and ing students, Kishore Vaigyanik
today stares at — especially the bioinformatics, among others. Bi- Protsahan Yojana, India Innova-
rapid spread of viruses and the osciences is even making inroads tion Growth Programme, the Star
resultant human health concerns, into some pioneering research College Scheme of Department of
global warming, air and water work being done in IITs. In our Biotechnology, Ministry of Science
pollution, and the need to feed recent issues, we have highlighted and Technology, and Atal Tinker-
large population — requires the how at one of the IITs, a septic ing Labs that enable young stu-
understanding of a whole host of tank cleaner has been developed dents to explore and experiment,
disciplines. so that all humans can live a life of are among the leading initiatives
dignity; at one IIT, locally abun- to push research and innovation.
As the interviews with some of dant bamboo is being used for
the subject experts reveal, there several industrial applications; But at the same time, this field
is a great need to pool expertise and how, an IIT has entered into of study and career requires aca-
of several disciplines to solve the collaboration with a leading med- demic rigour. You need to be me-
concerns of humanity and of other ical college-cum-hospital to start ticulous, organised and analytical
life forms too. programmes in bio-engineering. to conduct experiments over the
five years or so of your PhD work.
For example, Punit Kaur, Head Photograph by TRENDSETTER IMAGES And you need loads of patience for
this long haul.
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 61
Equally importantly, the
academic drill doesn’t end with
PhD. New research crops up, new
problems emerge, and continuing
to invest up knowledge and skill
upgradation is the key to staying
relevant.

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“Microbiology Touches
Our Lives In Diverse Ways”

Kamini Walia, Senior Scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research, provides a
glimpse into the crucial role of her twin areas of work – microbiology and public health – in
disease containment

By Vasudha Mukherjee Amasters in microbi-
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 62 ology from Panjab
University, Kamini
Walia has a doctorate
from Postgraduate
Institute, Chandigarh.
Joining ICMR in 1999, she changed
gears to also pursue masters in public
health from John Hopkins. Drawing
from her expertise in microbiology
and understanding the needs in pub-
lic health space, she works to ensure
that whatever research is being done
in specialisation areas of sciences, its
benefits then reach community level.
In an interview to BW Education,
Walia cautions aspiring scientists
about the rigour and meticulousness
that will be expected of them.
Excerpts:

Can you just tell us a little bit about
your academic and professional
journey? How did you get here?
I am actually a trained
microbiologist. I did my BSc and
MSc in microbiology from Panjab
University. And then I went on to
do My PhD which is again focused
on microbiology from Postgraduate
Institute, Chandigarh, Department
of Experimental Medicine and

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Photograph by SHIRONOSOV

Biotechnology. After short-term consultancy on a organisms all the time and in fact human bodies are
full of micro organisms which constitute microbiome
project, I joined ICMR as a research officer in 1999. which is really in discussion these days. It could be a

ICMR headquarters is a very different place to be virus, it could be bacteria, it could be parasites. These

in. You are managing science and funding research
programmes, which are of high importance and prior- may, or may not be responsible for infections that we
carry. Most of the microbiology is focused on clinical
ity for the country. aspect because large number of diseases, infectious

It has been a long and very enriching journey for diseases are a huge burden.

me as a professional to be to But then there are other as-

have worked in ICMR and pects of microbiology as well.

other public health agencies. There is an important aspect
of food microbiology. The
I have worked with Path The pandemic has cheese we eat. There are so are
(Programme for Appropri- led to heightened food microbiologists who work
ate Technology in Health), a in this space. Then there is a
not-for-profit organisation interest in whole field of industrial micro-
working in advancing health biology. So, microbiology is a

technologies. I was director for microbiology and
Research and Development for
there is more very diverse and a very broad
two years there. appreciation of area. And it actually touches
I trained as a microbiologist, our lives in many ways. So
that’s something that really
but then subsequently I went caught my interest when I

on, and did a masters in public microbiologist, the started studying microbiology.
health and that actually com- And post-Covid, there
lab testing and
pletely changed my perception their contribution is heightened interest into
of what needs to be done in viruses. It’s not that the viral
public health space. in making the outbreaks were not happening
vaccines. earlier; we have had many
Could you tell us a little bit bacterial and viral outbreaks
about like what does the area in the past, but then they were
of microbiology entail?
We are surrounded by micro

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very localised. The pandemic has led to heightened willing to do. There’s a paradigm shift in the way we
function now. New technologies are being added and
interest in microbiology and there is more apprecia-
tion of microbiologist, the lab testing and their contri- we have to upscale our skills for that. I have added
bution in making the vaccines. so much to my skill set in the last 20 years as I have
worked in ICMR. Not only I did do masters in public
Do you also see a lot more need for microbiologists? health from Hopkins, but I have done many online
Definitely, and we do have institutions producing and short courses.
microbiologists. There are students who come
out every year who have done microbiology In what ways do these two areas of microbiology

or biotechnology. There are courses which are and public health converge and how does the un-
teaching biochemistry as well. But I think we need
more pathways for microbiologists. After MSc derstanding of the former help you in your work in

microbiology, where does that student go? That’s a the latter?
Whatever research is happening, there is a need
challenge, because for a lot of companies who are for pathway for that research to move forward
actually working in diagnostics or vaccines, their
R&D is not in India but in their and for communities and
general public to benefit from
global offices. Which is why we those innovations. So, my
see a lot students leaving India
after doing MSC microbiology, science background helps me
biochemistry or biotechnology. You have to be understand the need. And then
That is something we need to meticulous and when I look at the community
work around. and the public health needs,
And the other thing is, like I I’m able to connect with that.
did a hard-core microbiology organised, because A lot of diseases are caused
for five years. I studied im- by these microbes. So, when
munology, molecular biology, doing PhD for you understand malaria or
bacteriology, parasitology, etc about five years, HIV, you understand what is
but now I see lot of these cock- you will be doing a going to work or what is the
tail courses coming up. I mean lot of experiments diagnostic requirement. For
they teach everything but then and testing a lot of example, we are already work-
the students know nothing. So hypothesis…. And ing with one of the companies
that’s something that always you need endless to develop a good diagnos-
concerns me. They they are tic test for typhoid. Patients
Jack of all trades, but they’re were being treated without an
not routed and they don’t have understanding of what kind
a foundation in one particular of typhoid is that. So, I’m able
subject. to understand the need as a
patience. microbiologist and also identify

What would your advice be? what are the potential solutions
Having more specialised and what we should be doing.
courses, adding on, or chang- So that’s what I enjoy about my
ing the way these courses are taught? work, and that’s what keeps me
We should not attempt to dilute the core strength of motivated and going.

the courses in a bid to add more and more because What kind of aptitude is needed to be to be suc-

after all, a student only also has that many hours to cessful at research levels and sciences, including

study and the university or a college also has that Biosciences?
many hours for teaching. So how much can you really I think the same thing that we need anywhere else.
add to it? I mean, sciences are no different from arts. But yes,
What I’m saying is, in a bid to add more skills to
the students within that time frame, we are somehow science is more evidence based.
You have to be meticulous and organised, because
sometimes also diluting the core information that we doing PhD for about five years you will be doing a lot
want to convey to the students. of experiments and testing a lot of hypothesis and if
We should also keep the biotechnology and other
such disciplines for postgraduation level rather than you are not organised and if you are not designing
experiments and not following up the results, prob-
having them at undergraduate level. ably you will have more problems than if you are
Besides the degree course, you will be adding to
your skill set as and when you require those skills, organised.
The second attribute is creativity and out-of-the-
and that’s something every science student has to be box thinking because you are pursuing something

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 64 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

Photograph by NICOLAS

novel. You have to have the ability to go back to the on health, on issues like how are viruses travelling
literature, to know what people have done, what has from animals, and antimicrobial resistance - the area
succeeded, what has not succeeded, what could be the where I particularly work in and where the levels
potential solution for your problem. And you need are increasing every year in India as well as globally.
endless patience because you are testing multiple These discussions are not new, but sometimes there
hypotheses. It is broken down into small steps and was no funding, at other times no political will. But
every step is crucial for you to reach there at the end now we know what is the price that you pay in terms
of four or five years. of the health of the people and in terms of economy or
social turbulence, when you ignore a health problem.
And yes, the ability to understand the problem, the And I think I assume that relevant stakeholders will
ability to analyse, and also following it up relentlessly not be willing to repeat those mistakes.
with a lot of patience.
What is the scope of this area of study? There’s plenty of scope, I think, to improve what
Like any other field, I think microbiology is also we have been doing with new technologies coming
changing. After what we have seen in last two years, I in. I am expecting a complete transformation of how
think the next 10 years we will be seeing a lot of focus we deal with health and health related situations in
history.
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 65
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“Integrating Biology
and Algorithms to
analyse Data”

Punit Kaur, Head of Department, Dept of Biophysics at AIIMS, describes the relevance of
Bioinformatics and the aptitude and skills needed for succeeding.

By Meha Mathur

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 66 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

ne of the prom- And what are the applications? There are two
ising fields in aspects:
biosciences is There are several areas of biology
bioinformatics, where bioinformatics can be generating the
applied. One example is the data and collating
Oinvolving the interpretation of next generation it. All biological
understanding sequencing of genomic data – eg
of both biology and computer sequencing the whole genome of data needs the
science. To understand its pres- an organism and its comparison support of a data
ent-day relevance and scope, BW from similar sequences across
Education spoke to subject expert the world. So, suppose, I do scientist or
Punit Kaur, Head of Department, the sequencing of a genome of bioinformatician
Dept of Biophysics at AIIMS. one organism in Delhi, another to interpret the
Excerpts from an interview: researcher does it from a similar data and derive a
organism in Chennai and
What is bioinformatics as a field Hyderabad and in any other part meaningful
of the world. This sequencing conclusion
all about? data can be collated together by
Bioinformatics is the integration creating a database, where we can ics and drug discovery. Here the
of biology with computer science input and store our respective initial information comes from an
or algorithms to manage and data onto that computational available protein structure, eg hae-
interpret the massive and complex platform. Here, the front end is moglobin. The three-dimensional
biological data available. Some where you have an interface to structures of proteins are available
decades ago, information was very feed the data and the back end is in the protein data bank. Hence, if
limited, but now, with exponential where all the technology comes I want to model the structure of a
data deluge, there is a need to in. Bioinformaticians can access protein, I search the protein data
accumulate the data, put it in one and mine this data collated in this bank, for a similar structure. Now
place, and to ensure uniformity database through internet/web
across data of similar kind. There from their respective locations
are two aspects: generating the with the help of computational
data and collating it. All biological tools and can arrive at a
data needs the support of a data meaningful conclusion based on
scientist or bioinformatician to the combined or individual data.
interpret the data and derive a
meaningful conclusion. Another aspect is molecular
modelling, structural bioinformat-

Photograph by EVGENIYSHKOLENKO

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IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / EXPERT TALK

to find out the similarity between Photograph by NICOLAS interest and be aware of the other
two structures – you compare aspects of the field.
the amino acid sequence of the overall time, from actually finding
proteins of interest ie sequence the drug candidate to treat a Is there enough infrastructure
alignment. disease, to clinical trials and mar-
keting the drug gets significantly for studies in India, and also,
So, here again, bioinformat- reduced.
ics comes into play. Finding out what is the scope of the subject
information about closely related Some other aspects of bioinfor-
sequences, and their structures, matics besides storage and retriev- here?
subsequent structure prediction al of data in biological databases, There is very good infrastructure,
followed by drug design and drug discovery and genomics with DBT, DST and ICMR having
discovery form different aspects of include gene therapy and genome dedicated institutes. We have
bioinformatics. applications, image data inter- C-DAC (Centre for Development
pretation and analysis, molecular of Advanced Computing) with
Earlier, to understand the pro- medicine and precision medicine. high-end super computational
cesses of ‘absorption, distribution, facilities accessible across India.
metabolism and excretion’, for What is the kind of aptitude is DBT has established several
efficacy and safety issues of drugs Biotechnology Information
in the drug discovery pipeline, required for this field, for young- System Network (BTISNet)
animal trials were conducted. wherein excellent work is
Now, with animal trials becoming sters who want to join? being conducted related to
complicated, we can use compu- You should not enter a field bioinformatics.
tational models instead of actually without being fully aware of it.
conducting these experiments. Bioinformatics requires extensive There is tremendous scope.
This is where bioinformatics again interpretation of biological However, people with in-depth
comes in — deriving meaningful data. Hence, it is not just about knowledge are required. Oppor-
information from the biological knowing and understanding tunities exist in the field of drug
data that you have and developing biology; basic knowledge about discovery, genomics, proteomics,
and using computational tools programming languages is also data science in pharmaceuti-
to determine ADME. Thus, what required. As a biology student, cal and data science companies
would have earlier taken five or you should be ready to learn a bit and hospitals. There are several
six years, can now be achieved in about computer programming. companies in bioinformatics in
a shorter time. We still have to And if you are a computer India together with a number of
conduct the clinical trials. But the scientist, then you must have an startups, especially relating to
understanding of biology. the analysis of next generation
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 68 sequencing data. Moreover, you
But presently, it is all about do not require huge investments
collaboration with other research- for startups where the main core
ers with complementary skill sets. strength is data analytics.
Still, you should take an active
What would you say about STEM

education in schools, and are

schools now preparing students

adequately for such studies at

higher levels?
Yes, in school, under STEM
education all basics are
taught in biology, as well as in
computer sciences. You can add
to that knowledge by learning
an additional programming
language. There is no dearth of
courses on the internet now. In
fact, it’s a good idea to pursue
practical courses as sometimes,
just a basic degree in biology
or bioinformatics may not be
adequate from the job perspective
in the industry.

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“We Provide
Alternative Solutions
Through Technology”

Rakhi Chaturvedi, Head, Department of Biosciences and Bio-engineering, IIT-Guwahati,
describes the application of biotechnology for betterment of life

ow would you describe mechanism, we know where the compounds. This is where the role
required input can be given. of technology comes in, to ensure
your field? that there is constant production of
Like a child, when it grows, these compounds. We started en-
Its about application you know at every stage how the gineering the cell to fine-tune it so
of engineering and requirement is changing. that it can best fit what exists in the
technology to biology. nature. This is how we are trying to
When we, the faculty members, Can you tell us some uses of improve production. The benefit is,
were graduating or doing PhD, we are not destroying the nature.
there was no distinct branch like biotechnology? How has society We have the technology to engineer
biotechnology. We were in pure the plant under controlled condi-
science departments like botany, benefited due to biotechnology? tions and we don’t need to pluck
zoology and microbiology and Being a plant expert, I can from plants from fields each time
there our thesis was related to cite examples from my area of we need the medicinal compound.
technology and engineering. A expertise. The drugs that you We provide alternative solutions,
point came when it was realised find in the market, 80 per cent so that nature doesn’t become a
that technology is also needed in of these are plant-based. A large limitation.
biology to address the limitations population of the country is You mentioned that it will be
of basic sciences. vegetarian, and there is reluctance beneficial to the nature, but to cite
To give the example of a plant, to consume non-veg foods on
each and every plant system has certain days of the week. Photograph by ELNUR
its own function, and that’s the
limit. It is what is available in The climate and weather also WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM
the nature, or conventionally. impact the production of medicinal
That is where technology enters,
as humans want a little more. If
technology can be applied to these
biological systems, our require-
ments can also be addressed. It
could be by way of cell tissue cul-
ture of a plant or an animal.
It’s about engineering the cell.
And for that we need to know
what technology is to be applied.
By delving deep, we get an idea
of how a single cell also functions
– the physiology and the anatomy
of the cell. Otherwise, a plant, or
human system, unlike a bacteria,
is very intact, and it’s very difficult
to understand the mechanism.
The moment we understand the

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 71

IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / EXPERT TALK

Photograph by METAMORWORKS

the example of its application in time a person would forget what Only 10 to 15 per cent of students
agriculture, there has been contro- he set out to do. take up jobs after BTech, in bio-
versy about BT. based companies. Many of them
Somehow, before science comes My own work is on tea and are also qualified for software
into picture, rumours travel faster. neem. Pure breed lines is very companies. This is because of
And people suspect, whenever important for the farmer whereas the course component of the
something is introduced. In the what you see in the tea gardens, institute, with provision for an
case of BT brinjal, they have used not a single plant is pure breed open elective. So, students opt for
the genome of bacteria and tested line. In the case of tea, we develop computer science as part of that
it before applying it. It grows in the plant in pots and make pure option .
a certain PF level so it’s not at breed lines in a single generation,
all harmful. But people started in just one-and-a-half year. That is Students of BTech in bio-
believing that something has been the time taken for research. Once sciences may not get the same
added to brinjal and it would not the protocol is established, we can package as in pure engineering,
be good for us. On the other hand, produce the plant much faster, we but they have more options to
the natural brinjal has germs, don’t have to wait for 35-40 years. get a job at a higher position
which is more harmful and if So, some of the conventional once they do further degrees.
we eat it without proper cooking, limitations are also being resolved Companies look at highly qualified
they can enter our blood circula- through biotechnology. persons to train their manpower.
tion as well.
Here I am talking about plants. This is the reason why a
I will give an example – when Animal system is even more diffi- majority of BTech students don’t
you plant a mango sapling, they cult. Getting a sample is difficult go for placement; rather, they
say you are planting it for the as one has to go through regula- go for higher studies – MTech or
next generation, as it’s a very slow tions and take permits. Other- PhD. We get a lot of applications
growing tree. Now, if a farmer wise, both plant and animals are for PhD in our department for
wants to improve his yield, he still similar; their senses are the same. limited seats, and admission
has to wait for several years. And Plants also communicate through is very tough. Many of them
for a particular trait to become chemical stimulus. It’s called also apply for further studies
stable, it takes perhaps 30 to 40 cross-talk. at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IISc
years, before we can say that a Bengaluru, or in universities
new variety has come up. By the What is the kind of work that your abroad.
students are doing after passing
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IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / COLUMN

TwWhoerDe isciplines

Join Hands

At IIT Jodhpur, there is a fruitful coming together of bioscience and bioengineering to
solve some crucial healthcare problems

By Mitali Mukerji

Today’s complex challenges, be it in whose global market is estimated to be more than
healthcare domains, mitigation of $1.5 trillion, with annual growth of 5 to 10 percent.
climate change crisis, clean environ-
ment or nutrition, water and energy The other area that is witnessing an enormous
security, all need disruptive technolo- growth is of bionics and biomimetics whose market
gies and transdisciplinary teams. Not size is anticipated to reach $65.9 billion by 2030.
only are these problems complex but sometimes also These is across sectors such as defence, robotics,
sudden such as Covid where automotives nanotechnology and medical device.
we require technological
deployments in impossible Understanding the natural
timelines. Also, a common intelligence of living systems
man who survived the pan- and their unique biologi-
demic realises how we need cal strategies has propelled
to understand the risk that many innovative bioinspired
Covid poses, its differential engineering solutions and
outcomes and the need for biomimetics in the above
precision medicine. A move sectors (https://asknature.
towards P4 (predictive, org/). Even the solution for
preventive, personalised and next generation long-term
participatory) medicine for data storage is being sought
individualised management from DNA, a biological infor-
of health and diseases has mation storage strategy that
been long appreciated in allows retrieval of informa-
diseases such as cancer where tion even from fossils.
more specifically precision
oncology is a buzz word. Bioscience & bioengi-
The emphasis has also now neering (BSBE) primarily
shifted to health and wellness involves an iterative cross-
talk between biology and
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 74 engineering for technological
advancements and inno-

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vations in both engineering and biological sciences to medical imaging, sensors, and robotics. Addition-

domains. These are only possible when people from ally, creative technology-enabled options for effective

transdisciplinary domains with diverse expertise team health encounters (e.g., patient to provider, provider

up. Also, many of these solutions rely heavily on AI/ to provider, and patient to patient) are evolving at a

ML/IOT driven solutions for objectivity in meas- rapid pace. Bioengineering graduates also have enor-

urements, outreach, deployment at scales as well as mous opportunities in industries such as synthetic

considerations for affordability biology, Drug discovery, implants

and time advantage as key drivers. The big data deluge and in areas of editing, tissue engi-
In these spaces, bioengineers are in the area of neering, synthetic biology/editing
becoming one of the most sought biological and for biofuel and bioremediation; as
core team members and this need well as diagnostics and biosensors
is going arise exponentially in the for sustainable solutions for health,

coming decade. medical sciences has environment, energy and agricul-
The big data deluge in the area ture.
also created a niche
of biological and medical sciences for those BSBE at IIT Jodhpur provides an
has also created a niche for those ecosystem to create and nurture
bioengineering graduates who

can tackle big data biology and bioengineering such bioengineers. The curriculum
have literacy in AI/ML domains. is uniquely designed to provide

In healthcare, there are enormous graduates who can foundational courses in biology,
opportunities for innovative and tackle big data engineering, mathematics, com-
affordable AIOT based solutions putational sciences with a special

for wellness, preventive as well biology and have focus on AI/ML along with a large
as precision diagnostic and ther- number of specialised courses in

apeutic solutions. These include literacy in AI/ML diverse areas of BSBE. Much like
efficient and proactive technol- domains other BTech programmes in IIT-J,
ogy-enabled care models from a bioengineering student can build
genomics and organ replacements their own BTech programme by

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IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / COLUMN

opting for a regular BTech de- of the technologies being pursued
gree or choose capability linked under this innovation-centric
bioengineering specialisations or programme include development
opt for minors offered by other The institute offers of technologies for maxillofa-

departments / interdisciplinary a unique medical cial implants, neonatal support,
research platforms like the smart technologies machine learning classifiers for
healthcare, artificial intelligence, disease diagnosis, point of care de-
science of intelligence, data vices for screening/triage diseases,
science, management, robotics, programme jointly nano-sensors for early diagnosis of
mathematical and computational diseases, light activatable biomi-
economics, quantum information with AIIMS metic nanoparticles, mixed reality

and computation. Jodhpur where solutions for surgery, bio-printed
The graduates develop inter- medical doctors materials, three-dimensional
bioprinting for effective cartilage
disciplinary and entrepreneur-
ial outlook through the unique regeneration etc. Through the
design projects as well as industry and engineers work BioNEST incubators housed in
internships. Students also have IIT-J it also nurtures transdiscipli-
the option to pursue a minor in in teams to solve nary entrepreneurs and deep-tech

engineering innovation, which of- problems in the start-ups for indigenous devel-
fers them the opportunity to work healthcare domain opment of medical devices and
in an industry setting towards a digital healthcare technologies.
product/ process development and BSBE is making concerted
a minor in entrepreneurship with efforts in the area of integra-
the option of incubating in IIT-J’s tive and precision medicine and
Technology Innovation and Start- drug discovery and repurposing
up Centre (TISC). through transdisciplinary platforms. Some notewor-
The institute offers a unique medical technolo- thy efforts are in areas of precision medicine specifi-
gies programme jointly with AIIMS Jodhpur where cally Duchenne muscular dystrophy for development
medical doctors and engineers work in teams to solve of affordable drugs, a centre of excellence in AyurTech
problems in the healthcare domain. Some examples in the School of Artificial Intelligence and Data Sci-

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 76 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

ence to generate evidence-based ayurveda solutions edge and Innovation Cluster (JCKIC), that aims to
in integrative health settings etc. Over a decade it has develop a knowledge grid of Thar ecoregion. This can
focussed efforts towards development of bio-elec- be used to build predictive models that can guide pol-
trochemical systems for microbial fuel cells and icy for conservation and restoration of the ecosystem
processes for bioremediation. Another key initiative as well as knowledge systems of the Thar.
for sustainable development is Thar-Designs (Desert
EcoSystem Innovations Guided by Nature and Selec- Through its outreach programmes BSBE, with
tion) a unique, collaborative initiative spear-headed support from IndiaBioscience Outreach grant, is
by the department through the Jodhpur City Knowl- also reaching out S&T to students in rural areas of
Rajasthan to ignite a spark in these young minds
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 77 for experimentation and practical applications such
as assembly of Foldscope (paper microscope) and
“Winogradsky column” as home projects to un-
derstand local ecologies. We are confident that the
students who graduate from such an interdisciplinary,
research and innovation-oriented ecosystem at BSBE
would have enormous opportunities in diverse indus-
try and research domains and entrepreneurship. All
this in a campus which also overall provides a scope
for growth on the social front through many avenues
of creative pursuits and through connects to grassroot
societal problems.

The author is Head, Department of Bioscience &
Bioengineering, IIT Jodhpur”.

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IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / EXPERT TALK

“NEP Also
Encouraging
Coming Together of
Disciplines”

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 78 Kamna Sachdeva, drawing from her rich
experience at TERI, New Delhi, and now at
Delhi Skills and Entrepreneurship University,
talks about the need for interdisciplinary
education to inculcate critical thinking in
students of all disciplines

By Meha Mathur

WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

Kamna Sachdeva has been associated Photograph by MUBARAK KHAN
with The Energy and Resources Insti-
tute (TERI), working in the domain of understand gendered vulnerability, and established
air quality management and its links that female farmers are more vulnerable than male
with health and climate change. She farmers. The third aspect we have studied is socio
has recently joined the Delhi Skills and economic factors and the size of land holdings that
Entrepreneurship University’s School of Sustainabili- makes you less or more vulnerable. The small farmers
ty. In an interview to BW Education, she cites exam- with less land generally tend to leave farming and mi-
ples of interdisciplinary work she has been involved in grate, whereas farmers with sizeable land holding and
and how it has worked for the betterment of human with good education generally intensify agriculture
life, environment, and for the policy-makers, for as adaptation practice or move to some other type of
building science based decision making. Excerpts: agriculture which yields more money. Based on our
study, we have given our feedback
What is the role of biosciences in environment studies, to the government regarding
strategies to be adopted for the
and what is the scope of interdisciplinary work? region, like microfinance, bet-
I have been involved with several projects funded ter schools, road network, etc.
by ministry and other bilateral agencies where we
fostered science-based policy making and society Another study in a very
connect was kept vital. The main motive of my nascent stage is understand-
current and previous institute is to impart skill- ing the impact of stubble
based teaching and bridging the gap between the burning on crops in Punjab
disciplines. — once the stubble is burned
and incorporated in the
One of our projects has been focused on agriculture soil, how will it will change
in Uttarakhand region, wherein we have worked to the plant soil interaction.
establish the differential vulnerability of the farm- Some studies show that
ers. We have established through science that all the mixing carbon in soil pro-
farmers are not equally vulnerable. To begin with, vides phosphorus and carbon
we have used rainfall and temperature data and also enrichment, which is helpful
ground observation to establish the climatic variabili- to the plant nutrition to some
ty in that region. Then, have done gender mapping to extent. But in the long run it
is bad for the soil. These par-
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 79
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IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / EXPERT TALK

ticles are very minute, so they may be taken up by the in terms of earning, quality of life, education, and

plant and they may affect the crop growth later on. uplifting the vulnerable sections. For example, in

In this study we’re connecting the air pollution, soil hospitals, they will see that how many EWS people
health and behavioural ap-
you are treating. Disclosure is
proach of the farmers and trying
to understand why they con- mandatory and important for

tinue to burn the stubble when business and image building.

institutional and technological Corporates and business
support is available.
The main motive of world are serious about it and
These are some of the exam- they are disclosing their ESG
ples of multidisciplinary re-
my current and indicators to take a leap in their
businesses. Responsible and en-
search, and our National Educa- previous institute is
tion Policy also encourages us to to impart skill vironmental conscious business
inculcate multiple perspectives strategies are winning game,
where giving back to society
approach.
based teaching and and adopting good governance
Can you describe what are the bridging the gap models are important.
industry openings in this field? between the
These days, ESG – But is it translating into jobs
Environmental, Societal and for students from these subject
areas?

Governance aspect –is the disciplines Yes, a lot of our students have
buzzword in every corporate. got jobs, like ESG managers

In environment, the consumer, and sustainability managers.

and in turn the corporates Corporates are hiring for work

are now particular about air pertaining to evaluation of

pollution and water pollution- CSR reports. Then there are

based management; in social aspect, there is focus on government agencies like Niti Aayog and ministry of
how you your work is uplifting the liveability index
Jal Shakti which are very serious about environment

Photograph by ORESTLIGETKA

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 80 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

Photograph by PEANGDAO

and implementation of SDGs in the country. field visit to students so that gives them a good under-
standing of the field and motivates them.
What kind of aptitude is required for this kind of re-
search work? What would you say about infrastructure for these
Research-led teaching is need of the hour and
university students need to be groomed accordingly. courses in the country, and where do you want im-
Introduction of basic bridge courses are required
in the subject of sustainable development. In my provements to happen?
previous institute we offer such courses across India has the infrastructure and the will to do so
the university. It’s a capsule course of seven days. to. The only issue is maintenance. Funding is there
Through examples and experiential learning we put for infrastructure, but not for maintenance. The
the seed of sustainability in the mind of students. infrastructure dies of that want.
NEP promotes inquiry-based learning and we should
focus on that. How did Covid impact studies in the institute and how

Plus, we provide them some skill sets which is re- did the faculty and students cope?
quired, like sustainability reporting, life cycle assess- It did impact, as there are some students who can’t
ment approach etc. Communication and technical study virtually. I totally understand that. But the
writing skills are also very important for making institutes helped students to cope with change.
students job ready. Moreover post pandemic recovery has brought many
jobs for ‘pandemic batch’, and we were able to place
How are schools preparing students in terms of STEM students in institutions like KPMG, E&Y and GIZ.
courses and scientific aptitude?
Learning by doing, experiential learning is very We learned over time how to teach online, how to
important. We take them to the field as we really design teaching and prepare exams in online mode.
want to show them zero tilling agriculture. Similarly, We shifted the lab work to the next semester so that
we take them to the balloon launching sites of IMD they would not miss the chance of doing the lab work
Delhi, where a balloon is released by IMD, with the by hand. In the meantime, we recorded videos of
instrument attached to it every Friday for upper the lab work on the website, and on the basis of that
atmospheric data. we assigned them calculation-based assignments,
which they had to do. By the end of 2021, when UGC
For food security course we take them to Sikkim, allowed labs to open up, we organised 10-day capsule
which is entirely organic state, to show them how lab courses for those students. We have come out of
organic farming is being practised. So, we include this the lockdown phase very successfully.

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 81 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / EXPERT TALK

“We Don’t Know 90 Per
Cent of Ocean Life”

Asiem Sanyal, marine biologist and conservationist, and a PADI (diving) instructor, takes
his readers deep into his exciting work profile, makes them aware of its criticality for our

own survival.
By Vasudha Mukherjee

Growing up in Nagpur and graduating from Loyola
College, Chennai, Asiem Sanyal took a plunge into
the area of his passion, did his masters in marine
science from the University of Calcutta and a second
masters in ecology, evolution and conservation from
Imperial College, London. Alongside, he also mas-
tered diving. Now appointed as Project Manager, Fauna and Flora
International, Sao Tome and Principe, off the coast of western Africa
near Equator, Sanyal has worked around the world, on different
islands. Till Covid struck the world, he was working as Conservation
Science Senior Manager, Timor-Leste, in south-east Asia. In an in-
terview with BW Education, Sanyal shares what inspired him to em-
bark on this adventure-filled field, and what does it entail. Excerpts:

What inspired you to become a marine biologist?

I’ve always been interested in wildlife since I was a child.
Fortunately, while I was growing up, there was abundant wildlife
around my house. Nagpur is known as the tiger capital of the

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 82 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

country, so there are quite a from high to low tide and there survival, and I work very closely
few national parks and nature are so many life forms that you with coastal populations as well.
reserves. can find there. That’s what stoked
my curiosity. And I’ve continued But there are other factors as
And every summer I used to go ever since. well. If you’re into marine work,
to Mumbai which has beaches and you can be a marine physicist,
the coastline. There was endless Can you tell me about what does a marine chemist or a marine
fascination for me going to Mum- geologist because there’s so much
bai and going to the coastline the field entail? What are the that goes on under the waves that
because I didn’t have that in Nag- we don’t know about. So there are
pur. I would take whatever time interdisciplinary aspects of this people from different fields who
I could get to go and just explore are working together, like pieces
along the beaches. We have what field? of the jigsaw puzzle.
we call tidepools, which is like Marine biology, as the name
pools of water that get left over suggests, is the study of life under What kind of impact does an ocean
the oceans, from the point of view
I started by of human interactions with the have on other environmental
studying species environment.
aspects?
diversity and The sea is not distinct from Well, oceans really do support
ecosystems which humans who live on the coast all life to an extent, and even if
are found under lines. I started by studying species you’re far away, you still find that
diversity and ecosystems which everything does find its origins or
the oceans, but are found under the oceans, but its roots in a sense, in the oceans.
overtime I’ve also overtime I’ve also come to appre- So, marine biology becomes very a
ciate that there are a lot of coastal very important field of study. We
come to communities which rely on the haven’t really understood close to
appreciate that oceans for their livelihood and
there are a lot of

coastal
communities
which rely on the
oceans for their

livelihood

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 83 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

IN DEPTH / BIOSCIENCES / EXPERT TALK

90 per cent of what actually goes they get bleached, the fish no longer live there, and so that has a direct
on under the waters and lot of the impact on food security for the people who are living along the coast.
life that’s living underwater and Going back a little bit, how did your education in India help support you
to that extent we don’t know how in this dream of becoming a marine biologist and what kind of infrastruc-
much dependent we are on those ture exists within the country for this field?
species for our survival. When I started out, there wasn’t a lot of infrastructure available. There
were only a couple of institutes that were offering any semblance of wild-
In an age of climate change life related work in India. So, I studied, I did my bachelors in Chennai, I
when things are changing rapidly did a bachelors in advanced zoology and biotechnology. And then I went
and everything is hurtling towards
a rather grim future, it becomes WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM
even more critical and crucial
to be studying things that go on
under the water and a great field
to be in right now.

The seas and the oceans really
are bearing the brunt of climate
change. And the impact of climate
crisis and things are happening
more rapidly there than anywhere
else on the planet.

With increasing climate change,
with increasing ocean acidifica-
tion, large portions of coral reefs
which support a lot of the fish
which in turn support fisherfolk
in various countries around the
world are getting bleached. Once

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 84

to Calcutta University to do a course in marine science. At that time, it Bombay Natural History Society,
was one of the three places in the country offering that course so there which is doing remarkable work
was really limited scope. I felt the need to supplement my education by in bird related conservation in
doing a course outside the country and I did a masters in ecology, evolu- India. His Book of Indian Birds is
tion and conservation from Imperial College, London. I was lucky to get a brilliant field guide which I used
a scholarship from InLacks foundation to do that. Now, of course, there for a really long time whenever I
are institutes here offering courses specifically in marine biology and would go for bird watching. And
marine conservation. his autobiography The Fall of a
Skilling is also something that’s become really important. We need to have Sparrow is also something that
that exposure to actually what you are studying. How important do you motivated me to start my own
think is that in your field of work? journey in conservation.
I would have really like to have had more practical exposure while I was
studying because unless and until you have a connect with your work Outside India the person that I
and with your field of interest, you’re not likely to be invested in it. Go for really look up to is David Atten-
courses that have field trips directly engaged with wildlife. borough who has done a lot of
Can you tell me a little bit about the specific trainings that you did? documentaries on wildlife for
I tried to supplement my learning with my own practical visits. I tried to BBC for a really long time. I also
also do specific internships in research institutions in the country which admire Jane Goodall, who works
were related to my field of interest. with chimpanzees.

In Bangalore and Calcutta, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity What would be your advice to
to intern with two scientific institutions which helped me a lot. Another young people who want to follow
skill that really helped me was diving. It brought me a lot closer to the in your footsteps?
marine environment and solidified my love for the oceans. But it contin- I would say listen to your heart.
ues to remain a rather expensive activity, so it’s not for everyone. I have to be honest that it’s not
As a scientist, how important is STEM education in school education and going to be the easiest road.
how do you think you have benefited from it? There are a lot of obstacles.
I absolutely agree that STEM education is so important, and I would Sometimes the obstacles start
have benefited from a more tailored approach to wildlife. India is very at home. Sometimes parents are
unique in that there are so many different kinds of habitats that are not appreciative of this field. So,
available in the country. Those habitats come with their own set of I would say follow your heart if
species, some of which are not found anywhere else on the planet. you’re interested.

But there is no course or content available at a school level which At a very early age just start
specifically pertains to biodiversity conservation. I think STEM ends up engaging with the field by looking
focusing on the more prominent fields like medicine and engineering. at documentaries. Once you get to
Can you tell me about some of your role models? the university level, explore.
Somebody from India that I really looked up to while growing up was
Salim Ali (India’s legendary ornithologist). He helped establish the A lot of internships tend have
a field component which really
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 85 helps you find your path. Now
there are also ocean-related train-
ing courses which are freely avail-
able online by premier institutions
around the world. I would suggest
people look out for that. We are
currently in the midst of what we
call the UN Decade of Ecosystem
Restoration. And so, there are
courses which are specifically re-
lated to ecosystem restoration.

WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

COLUMN

Conceptualising
Bio-X-Labs

How can students be encouraged to turn entrepreneurs in
biological sciences at an early age

By Anurag Wasnik1 & Rohan Kar2 ANURAG WASNIK

The history of biology as WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM
a primary science sub-
ject in schools’ dates to
19th century Britain,
where it was first in-
troduced in the secondary school
curriculum. Formal teaching of
biology began in Indian schools
with the British’s introduction of
the university system. Universities
initially offered biology as a sub-
ject only in medical universities,
but later most universities and col-
leges in India started offering in-
dependent courses in botany and
zoology. Later in the 1960s, joint
teams from the National Council
for Educational Research and
Training (NCERT) and the United
Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNE-
SCO) prepared a new curriculum
in biology for Indian schools.

With the growing demands in
healthcare, it is only sensible to
run a status check on how much
biology as a standalone classical
science subject in Indian schools
has been able to address our
country’s healthcare challenges.
Our understanding of the Indian
healthcare system’s needs strongly
points to the fact that offering bi-
ology as a subject in classrooms or
laboratories is not enough to rap-
idly solve the current and future
healthcare challenges in India. It

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 86

ROHAN KAR innovations. Every great innova-
tion in history has come from a
is essential to establish a linkage ial wisdom? The hypothesis that place of empathy because creation
through evidence-based studies we present in this article states – so often arises out of someone’s
between what is taught in schools frustration. Steve Jobs, when he
and what comes out as entrepre- “Topped with empathy, biology as was frustrated with the fact that
neurial value addition and school a basic science coupled with a he could not carry his library of
boards have lot of work to do in knowhow of how to apply biology music around in his pocket, he de-
the process. to solve practical healthcare prob- signed the iPod. Jobs believed that
lems (applied science), supported others might share his frustration,
An approach to healthcare entre- by a state-of-art infrastructure, so he could empathise before ide-
preneurship - start early, empathise can help set up a culture of bio-en- ating the prototype for the iPod.
before ideating: Neuroscience trepreneurial thinking in schools.”
researchers over the years have Put this hypothesis to test in In the context of healthcare,
found the human brain to be schools, and India is guaranteed there exists a strong connection
highly plastic. Interestingly, the to receive a constant supply of between how well a healthcare
human brain keeps changing bio-entrepreneurs in line with the entrepreneur empathises with a
significantly in structure and func- country’s future healthcare needs. problem and the quality of inno-
tion throughout one’s lifetime, vations the entrepreneur tends
especially during childhood and We wish it were that simple! to deliver. And since healthcare
adolescence, due to experience What has been missing in our primary aims to limit human
or training. So, what impact does bio-entrepreneurial ecosystem sufferings, if healthcare entre-
constant training and everyday till now is a lack of empathy. preneurs are unable to relate and
experience create in the minds of Empathy is the first step of any empathise, they will never provide
school-going students that sow the design-thinking process, but an excellent healthcare product or
seeds of healthcare entrepreneur- unfortunately, it is the single a service.
most-overlooked ingredient of
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 87 innovation, more so, healthcare The Know/Feel Model – the shift
from conventional Bio labs to
Bio-innovation labs: What we
know and feel, stays longer in our
memory than what we know and
don’t feel. A study by Strijbosch
& Mitas et al. in 2009 found
a strong correlation between
experiences and memories of

Schools must
understand that
entrepreneurial
teaching skills are
not just about good
business practices;

instead, they
should focus on
helping students to
view entrepreneur-

ship as a lens

WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

COLUMN

We wish it were in shaping the memory of an experienced emotions themselves
that simple! What experience. Unlike non-emotional in guiding subsequent behaviour.
has been missing experiences, experiential
in our bio-entre- episodes that include feelings Heraclitus once famously
preneurial ecosys- are remembered more vividly said - “The only constant in life
and in greater detail. Emotions is change.” Providing accessible,
tem till now is a arising from a single experience, affordable, and comprehensive
lack of empathy or a series of experiences play healthcare services to 1.3 billion
a crucial role in determining citizens will not be a simple target
those experiences. Moreover, a whether an individual can build a to achieve but not impossible for
range of psychological literature castle out of those experience(s). sure. If India has to reach the elu-
has studied and reported the In the case of entrepreneurship, sive $5 trillion and then to a $10
relationship between memory knowing and feeling about a trillion economy, healthcare will
and experience. One critical product/service can kindle a spark continue to take centre stage.
finding in this space has been to in the young minds to pursue
elucidate the role of emotions a career in entrepreneurship Emerging technologies like
and innovation. The know/feel Blockchain, AI/ML, Big Data,
approach can help build empathy Cloud computing, IoT, Quantum
in young minds, and this holds computing, and AR/VR are shap-
special significance in the case ing how businesses will be run in
of healthcare entrepreneurship the coming decade. And therefore,
(as discussed in one of the earlier healthcare entrepreneurs of to-
sections of the article). Therefore, morrow will need to continuously
how individuals remember the upgrade their skill set to meet the
emotions from their experiences healthcare needs of the nation.
may be just as important as the With a new set of innovations
finding its way to the world every
day, the real need of the hour is to

Photograph by FREEPIK@DCSTUDIO

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 88 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

Photograph by FREEPIK@PIKISUPERSTAR not just specialisation at a late ter), micropipette and sterile tips,
age; we are talking about early sterile broth for growing bacteria,
not only enhance the quality of the specialisation. The goal is to catch vortex mixers, incubators, power
final product but also ensure its them young and provide them supplies for gel, and electropho-
accessibility to the user. Improving with specialised training facilities. resis and so on. This would allow
upon the current technology and Enter Bio-(X)-Labs or BXLs. students to better understand
experimenting with it to under- Bio-(X)-Labs (BXLs) can help the importance of biotechnology
stand its stability is essential, but build a platform for healthcare in the 21st century rather than
once an entrepreneur realises its entrepreneurial design thinking in just studying biotechnology for
applications, it is paramount to let schools. a school examination. The BXL
people use it. would allow students to touch and
The basic principle on which a feel various aspects of biotechnol-
Schools must understand that BXL works is as follows: ogy, thus satisfying the component
entrepreneurial teaching skills of “Feeling” in equation-A.
are not just about good business Feeling + Knowledge = Empathy
practices; instead, they should creation The students would run these
focus on helping students to view experiments under expert supervi-
entrepreneurship as a lens. It is In today’s highly competi- sion. The “knowledge” component
about helping young students tive atmosphere, the survival of in the equation-A is provided by
understand that being an entre- healthcare institutions depends the subject matter experts (SMEs)
preneur means seeing things for mainly on the ability to provide and mentors. They would also
what they could be, not what they value-added services (VAS) at the be discussing the ethical issues,
are. When this lens is applied ear- lowest possible cost. BXLs move especially the concepts of a cell,
ly, it ultimately shapes the future away from just performing exper- chromosome, GMO, identification
of healthcare innovations in India iments in a biology laboratory to of GM foods in their diet, pros
over the next decade. The ap- understanding what value addi- and cons of GM foods, DNA, gene,
proach toward setting up a health- tion means in healthcare. As “X” comparison of traditional meth-
care innovation infrastructure to in a Bio-(X)-Labs signifies that ods of plant breeding and modern
support the know/feel model in value addition. techniques of genetic engineering,
primary schools will require more and importance of responsible use
than what conventional biology On a typical day, when you of technology with the students.
laboratories have been offering till would enter into a BXL, you will
now. The time has now come for find that some students would If a student has come up with
schools to provide the necessary be building a Kiwi DNA extrac- a ground-breaking startup idea,
means and resources that can tion kit in one corner, whereas blended finance models could be
stimulate inventive and innovative in another corner, some super explored wherein the students
thinking as part of the normal innovative kids would be produc- can raise debts early on in their
development process of students. ing glowing bacteria that fluo- startup journey. BXLs, if planned
resce different colours. To do so, and executed correctly, could be
Introducing Bio-(X)-Labs (BXLs) such a BXL would be equipped a game-changer. It is extremely
Specialisation is the key and with culture tubes, falcon tubes, essential for any nation to im-
spectrophotometer (or colorime- part twenty-first-century skills in
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 89 biotechnology to their children at
an early age and let their inter-
ests and passion develop in such
STEM subjects.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Anurag Wasnik, MBA from IIM-A and
MSc in international management from
Bocconi Universita, Italy, is Innovation

Lead at the Atal Innovation Mission,
NITI Aayog. Rohan Kar, an MBA from
IIM-Ahmedabad, is currently pursuing

his doctoral research in marketing at
IIM-A

Views expressed in the column are those of
the authors.

WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM





INTERVIEW

“Young Students
Inspired By Elon Musk”

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 92 Sathya Chakravarthy, Head of
National Centre for Combustion
Research & Development at
IIT Madras and professor of
Aero Engineering, and co-
founder of AgniKul Cosmos, on
the inspiration behind private
startup in satellite space

By Meha Mathur

Ascientist, a faculty at
India’s premier IIT and
a co-founder of several
startups – an unusual
combination of roles
perhaps – but Sathya
Chakravarthy performs these multiple
roles with élan. Besides heading Na-
tional Centre for Combustion Research
& Development at IIT Madras, he has
cofounded AgniKul Cosmos, ePlane Co,
Aerostrovilos, X2Fuels, GalaxEye and
TuTr Hyperloop, besides being advisor to
Avishkar Hyperloop. In an interview to
BW Education, he describes the innova-
tion ethos at IIT Madras, and the reason
why youngsters are joining the space race.
Excerpts:

What fuelled this dream among a group
of youngsters to launch a startup in the
space R&D and satellite?
This happened in 2017. Actually, what you
would find is, most of the youngsters are
fascinated by what Elon Musk has done.
What they don’t realise is he actually
made a lot of money in PayPal and then
he could spend it on SpaceX. But the
good thing is that our youngsters are very

WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

Photograph by ISRO

innovative, and Indians are very frugal in spending, students, but nobody would pick it up. It needed a
so it is possible for us to actually dream about making time frame. It was in 2017-2018 when that transition
happened inspired by what Elon Musk was doing.
small rockets and small satellites, unlike Elon Musk. Before Musk also there was a lot of private rockets

So, I actually coined the phrase ‘mini Musk’. in the US. But him to be able to make rockets,

If it’s possible for us to identify the detailing of launch them and launch them

small satellites and launch vehicles I have been consistently and show that the
teaching space launch cost can actually be
and combine it with the frugality brought down was the tipping
of what we can do in India, it now point.
makes it possible for us to make The second aspect is investors

these small rockets and satellites and technology for who believe in entrepreneurs.
find small businesses that can benefit nearly 25 years AgniKul was launched in 2018
from this. and got their first funding in
and I would 2019, because there were at least
Fundamentally, electronics is actually freely put one or two investors who be-
shrinking, and so are our cameras. lieved that the government will
We can put a lot of sensors in smaller out some new eventually come around. And the
space. I think our youngsters are ideas for making third piece of the puzzle is the
essentially trying to take advantage government. In 2016 I gave a Ted
of it and want to be their own version
of Musk.

The public perception is about this rockets with the Talk, where I basically said that
students, but ISRO is the best suited to lead
space being dominated by the gov- nobody would like a grand mission of interna-
pick it up. It tional mass human exploration,
ernment - ISRO. How difficult was it needed a time given how they launched Man-
frame galyaan in a frugal way. And in
to break into this domain? spheres like PSLV they can in-
It’s a combination of three volve private people and startups.
things. One is, you need to have And in 2017, the present chair-
entrepreneurs who want to do this. I man of ISRO gave a talk and he
have been teaching space technology said the same thing. And two
for nearly 25 years and I would
actually freely put out some new
ideas for making rockets with the

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 93 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

INTERVIEW

Photograph by ISRO plus startups, whereas the global the seas at different locations; a
is only about 10 per cent. global construction company can
months into the Covid lockdown supervise construction across dif-
in May 2020, Finance Minister Actually, the faculty are in an ferent geographical locations; and
Nirmala Sitharaman, announcing advisory capacity in these start- a logistics company that is sending
Aatma Nirbhar Bharat package, ups, and not in executive role, container trucks everywhere can
also included space. That’s some- although they are co-founders. track movement of goods.
thing that we did not expect at That is what I do with AgniKul
all. Obviously, it wasn’t an over- and GalaxEye, which are the space You are a science man, teaching
night decision; they must have startups, but ePlane is where I ac-
been thinking about this for quite tually have taken up an executive space technology. What kind of
some time. position for which I have to be on
sabbatical from my IIT position. attitude is needed for a scien-
So, these three pieces of the
puzzle have to actually come Can you describe some of the tist? Also, if you can comment on
together. And as a mature tech- applications of low-cost sat-
nology country, we need to have ellites? In what ways are these the status of STEM education in
the government focus on bigger being used for public good?
things like going to the moon and Today, for example, what we are India, and what needs to change?
going to Mars, whereas the more trying to do is to have a satellite Actually, a lot of things are already
commercially oriented efforts that is actually applicable both day changing. Since I’m always
they have to push it out to private and night. You will be surprised dealing with younger people,
labs. And that’s exactly what has that many a times the kind of I get to see the change that’s
happened. cameras that are installed in happening. The Internet world
satellites can see things only actually has so much information
Can you describe the IIT Madras during the daytime and if there is for a lot of people to learn things
incubation ethos? a cloud cover, they will not be able all by themselves. It has never
The IIT Madras entrepreneurship to see this right. If there is a cloud been like that before. Even school
or startup ecosystem has sort of cover, then effectively, a satellite students are able to actually put
come of age, and it has happened active works only 25 per cent of projects together with their hands
in relatively short period. Around the time in a day. based on what they can see on
2013-2014, it was extremely the Internet. They use classroom
tentative. Now, every six months What we’re trying to do is to education as a guiding principle,
we are actually jumping by about break that by putting some infra- and even there, they can at least
30-40 startups. And unlike some red sensors alongside visible spec- stay ahead of the curve if they
other technology institutions, we trum sensors so that we can see at want to. They are transitioning
are primarily in the technology night and correlate it with what to what is actually called online
space as we are supposed to be. we have seen during the daytime. on-demand education. But the
We have about 13 to 14 per cent of It’s called censor fusion. We use universities are not exactly willing
our faculty involved in about 100 this censor fusion for monitoring to dish it out the way the younger
the earth in real time, through a people want. That kind of a
BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 94 constellation of satellites. As to generational conflict will erupt
some practical applications: A through this decade, and we will
shipping company can actually have to see which universities
monitor all the ships that are on adapt to it.

Photograph by MSTJAHANARA But will the NEP’s provisions, as

also dual degrees, address these

issues to some extent?
They are progressively addressing,
but they are fighting hard to
actually keep it within this
framework of people entering
a college and leaving after four
years, going through curriculum
and syllabus. We have not broken
free of the mould of having
to have a classroom teaching
superstructure. I think that will be
challenged over time. And we will
have to see how we cope with it.

WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM



CAREER INSIGHTS / DESIGN

DesignTheMultipDleimensions Of

The reason why this field has gained in prominence is that it solves multiple
day-to-day problems of people and improves quality of life through innovative

products and experiences

By Meha Mathur

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 96 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

The low-floor buses that enable small buying a product, we buy a service, so that we don’t
kids, the old and people on wheel chairs need so many products, like renting a car, or having
to board the bus with ease; the furniture community washing machines,” he says.
pieces that take up limited space and
serve multiple purposes (which proved Today, design has varied dimensions. A large num-
so useful during lockdown period, with ber of areas of study have emerged, some of which
limited space at home); the mixers and blenders that could be overlapping too. Some of these are:
ease up the life of the person doing the cooking chore, • Fashion, apparel, accessory, shoe design
these are all the result of someone’s concern to make • Textile design
others’ life better. There was a problem, that person • Product design
not only understood the problem, but also thought of • Automobile design
a solution and devised a product. This is the role of • Space and exhibition design
a designer, and thanks to their problem-solving ap- • Communication design (like graphics and anima-
proach, some great, user-friendly designs have come
into being. tion)
In India, starting from around 1960s, with the • Information Design
launch of National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad • User experience design
• Game Design

and Industrial Design Centre The last two are especially
in IIT Bombay, the movement gaining popularity. User ex-
for great designs has gained
traction, and now is a popular The discipline not only perience design entails taking
area of study and careers. draws from engineering up a product, ascertaining its
Praveen Nahar, Director, usability, and also branding.
NID-Ahmedabad, says, and technology, but Game design is used not just
“Many design movements for entertainment but also for
across the world are as old digital educational tools.

from social sciences too.as NID. Design as a profes- Institutes
Interaction with asion also came up around the Besides the Mecca of design
that is the Ahmedabad-based
time when we established NID, several branches of NID
have opened up, including
persons from a host ofNID in India.” (See interview in Gandhinagar, Bengaluru,
Kurukshetra, Bhopal and
on page 102) Jorhat.

disciplines and an openA design is not confined The hub of fashion technol-
mind to absorb fromto beauty or aesthetics, ogy that is National Insti-
tute of Fashion Technology
though that is always an (NIFT) with its multiple
centres, has courses in fash-
surroundings areadded advantage. But the ion design, leather design,
accessory design, fashion
central function of design communication and apparel
production among others.
extremely crucial tois functionality — to make Design courses are offered by several IITs now.
your own growthday-to-day life better through besides Mumbai, design programmes are also offered
at Delhi, Kanpur and Guwahati, and IIT-BHU has
better-thought-out products. launched a Department of Architecture, Planning and
A furniture piece that is great Design a few years ago.
to look at but gives you back Communication design is also offered by universi-
ache is a waste of resources. A plain-Jane looking ties like Jamia Millia Islamia, Sayajirao University,
building space might look uninviting, but it could Vadodara, and university-affiliated colleges like the
have the ventilation just right for the season. College of Art, New Delhi. Design programmes are
also offered by private institutes like Maharashtra
Aditya Lingam, a faculty of the Department of De- Institute of Technology, Pune; Unitedworld Institute
sign in Unitedworld Institute of Design, Gandhinagar, of Design, Gandhinagar and Amity School of Design,
provides another perspective and attributes the grow- Noida.
ing emphasis on design to customised requirements
of consumer, and people becoming very specific about
what they want. He adds that the emphasis on R&D
within the country, with a view to self-reliance, is also
leading to this shift.

Central to the concerns of the designer communi-
ty is also ecological footprint, and Praveen Nahar of
NID talks of designing services instead of products,
so that there is reduced consumption. “There is also
the larger concept of how you design services instead Interdisciplinary approach
of products. This is a major shift, wherein, instead of Joining a professional course at an early age does not

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CAREER INSIGHTS / DESIGN

ExSpteurdieennct e

Pragnya Ramjee, a design graduate from IIT-Guwahati,

describes the course structure
IT Guwahati offers a four-year
non-specialised Bachelor of Design ties department as well, IIT Guwahati offers
degree. The curriculum prioritises many avenues for interdisciplinary collab-
breadth, aiming to give students an oration while working on projects. In my
inkling of the possibilities offered third-year summer, I interned as interaction
by different avenues and the inter- designer with D.E. Shaw, where I now work.

connectedness of Looking back, I would say my undergrad-
uate has helped me
the discipline as a feel more comfort-
able while scoping
whole. problem-solving in
the face of ambigui-
We had a host ty, collaborate more
productively, and
of open-ended as- articulate what I
am (not) looking for
signments: furni- with greater clarity.
My classmates are
ture studies, logo now largely work-
ing in the UX do-
creation, urban main, with a hand-
ful exploring visual
transport design, communication and
physical product
art history, etc. The design. Some have
aspirations of fur-
curriculum also al- ther studies, wheth-

lows for two semes- er pursuing design or exploring the business
side of things.
ter-long projects,
(Pragnya Ramjee won the Governor of As-
and one final year sam Gold Medal at the IIT-G convocation this
year for scoring second highest CPI amongst
thesis project. The all undergraduate students in all disciplines

topics can be entire-

ly of our own choice.

In addition to the

courses, many of

my classmates and I

worked on side pro-

jects: freelancing, volunteering, working on

startup ideas, possibly with the network of

alumni, and research projects with faculty

from both within and outside the institute,

etc.

As a technical institute with a humani-

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 98 WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM

imply that one starts working in a silo. The discipline come together, be versatile in terms of outlook and
not only draws from engineering and technology, but need to look at the bigger picture. And you have to go
from social sciences too. Interaction with a persons to the tiniest detail at the same time. The detailing
from a host of disciplines and an open mind to absorb matters.”
from surroundings are extremely crucial to your own
growth. As Aneesha Sharma, HOD, Department Training Method
of Design at IIT-Delhi says, “Design is by nature It’s a practical-oriented course with thrust on hands-
interdisciplinary. At the core it’s user-centric,” adding on learning and projects, rather than classroom
that understanding the psychology of the user is lectures. Assessment is by way of jury following your
involved, as well as understanding of the material. project submission. The Covid-induced lockdown
(See interview on page 104) came as a litmus test but the design fraternity as a
whole was swift to turn online. “Initially it was dif-
And Pratul Kalita of IIT Guwahati says, “We apply ficult to explain to students how different materials
a lot of contemporary research like ethnography. On work. We had to first try out the alternatives our-
the basis of that research, in the Indian context, we selves, to be able to explain to students,” says Aditya
have to come up with solutions.” (see interview on Lingam. Demos were posted online, and students
page 108) were encouraged to use locally available materials to
come up with some innovative designs. At IIT Gu-
The aptitude requirement is expressed effectively wahati, one student from Bihar shared that stuck in
by Manasi Kanetkar, Assistant Teaching Professor of his native place, he ended up making a simple tool to
Design at IIT Gandhinagar, when she says, “You have extract the crop of singhara from ponds.
to be a team player for sure. You have to appreciate
what each stakeholder would want…. You have to

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CAREER INSIGHTS / DESIGN / INTERVIEW

“Designers Need
to Move Into New
Territories”

Praveen Nahar, Director of National WWW.BWEDUCATION.COM
Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, on the
increasing expectations from designers
in the wake of climate changes and
migrations, and how design can address
these challenges

By Meha Mathur

Adesign is not just about beauty and aes-
thetics, it has to solve a problem and
improve the quality of life. Design-
ers also have a duty to initiate a
dialogue on reducing consump-
tion by coming up with common
services. These, and some other innovative
ideas came up during a conversation that
BW Education had with NID-Ahmedabad
Director, Praveen Nahar. NID has been at
the forefront of spreading design awareness
in the country, and has been instrumental
in the National Policy on Design, besides
offering expertise to several other organ-
isations. Excerpts from the interview:

How has design become such an im-
portant area of study and careers in
the last few decades, when products
were made earlier too? Also, what
has been the significant shift in the
understanding in society?
A number of developments have
contributed to make people look at
this field of study. Design can be seen

BW EDUCATION SEPTEMBER 2022 100