Dr. Shyamala Bharadwaj

Designation: President

Email: shyamala.bharadwaj@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:
B.Sc. (Chemistry), University of Mumbai

M.Sc. (Chemistry), University of Mumbai

Ph. D. (Chemistry), University of Mumbai

Shyamala retired as Head, Fuel Cell Materials and Catalysis Section, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai in December 2015 after 38 years of research at BARC. Her expertise is in the field of chemical thermodynamics, catalysis, fuel cells and hydrogen energy. As professor of HBNI and Mumbai University, she had guided several M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. She is often invited to review Ph.D. theses from various universities, IITs etc and to review projects from DST and BRNS. She regularly reviews manuscripts for several international journals and is the regional editor of Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry. She has won several awards, such as NETZSCH-ITAS Award in the field of Thermal analysis and DAE Group Achievement Awards. As Hon. Secretary of Indian Thermal Analysis Society, she was involved in organizing several National Symposia and Workshops on Thermal Analysis in various parts of India. She has also organized several National Symposia and Workshops in Materials Chemistry and Chemical Thermodynamics. Shyamala has several publications in refereed international journals. She has co-edited a book on “Thoria based nuclear fuels” (published by Springer, 2013) and written several chapters in various books.

She has been associated with IWSA since 2015. She was Secretary, IWSA for the period 2017-19, Member Executive Committee, 2019-21, Vice President, 2021-23 and Editor of IWSA Newsletter since December 2015 till 2023.

Dr. Nootan Bhakal

Designation: Vice President

Email: nootanbhakal@yahoo.com

Email: Educational Qualifications & Experience:
BSc Chemistry: University of Mumbai
MA Hindi SNDT University Mumbai
Ph.D Hindi University of Mumbai

Nootan retired as Vice Principal of Vartak College, Vasai, in 2015 after 30 years of service. She has translated around 25 books, on literary, scientific and technical aspects from English to Hindi and Gujarati and vice versa. As Secretary of “Chetan Memorial Trust” she facilitates educational activities for the underprivileged. The trust also inculcates scientific temper, rationalism, secularism and all forms of art.

Nootan has been actively involved with IWSA with the Nursery School and Education Committee of which she is now the Secretary. She is Treasurer, IWSA, for two terms and was also the Convener of Scholarships Committee (2021-2023).

Dr. Paramjit Anthappan

Designation: Secretary

Email:  paramjitanthappan@gmail.com

 Educational Qualifications:
BSc (Microbiology [Major] and Chemistry [Subsidary]), University of Mumbai

M.Sc. (Microbiology), University of Mumbai

Ph. D. (Microbiology), University of Mumbai

Paramjit has an academic cum research career spanning almost four decades at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s College, Andheri, Mumbai. She retired as College Vice Principal, Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Microbiology, in April 2017. After graduation, she started her career as demonstrator of conducting B.Sc. Microbiology practicals in college. After M.Sc. she served as assistant scientist for mycobacterial research, at Foundation for Medical Research for a short tenure. She rejoined as full-time lecturer in Microbiology Department in 1980, obtained recognition for M.Sc. teaching [by papers] in 1987, M.Sc. and Ph.D. research guidance in 1998 and 2007 respectively, and took up department headship in 2002. She also had the opportunity to serve as Joint coordinator of Bhavan’s Research Centre for Microbiology in 2005 and I/C Principal of College in 2015. Her research expertise areas include Bioconversions of agrowastes, probiotic applications, Textile bioprocessing, Actinoflora of soybeans, Sustainable Treatment of Wastewaters and solid waste management using effective microorganisms, beneficial plant microbe interactions, microbial siderophores, mushroom production and antimicrobial components of mangroves.

Dr Anthappan is currently a free-lance educational consultant, besides being on the Board of Trustees of Dr Dhala’s Felicitation Fund (DFF) for promotion of research culture in biosciences amongst post graduate students. She continues to be involved in coordinating the Silver Alumni Reunion Meets and the associated legacy projects of Microbiology students at Bhavan’s College.

Around 50 students have successfully completed their research dissertations and theses at M.Sc. M. Phil and PhD levels under her guidance, and she has to her credit about 23 publications in scientific journals. Dr. Anthappan is also a certified Neuro Linguistic Programming [NLP] counsellor, practitioner and coach trainer.

Paramjit was Convener of Library Committee and Member of Internship Core Committee (2021 – 2023). She is the Secretary of the Computer Education Centre 2021-2023.

Dr. Suparna Kamath

Designation: Jt. Secretary

Email: suparna.kamath@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:
B.Sc. (Physics Hons.), University of Calcutta

M.Sc. (Biophysics, Molecular biology & Genetics), University of Calcutta

Post M.Sc. Associateship in Life Sciences at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics

Ph. D. (Biochemistry), University of Mumbai

Suparna was at Tata Memorial Hospital as a post-doctoral Research fellow on an ICMR project. Thereafter she taught undergraduate and post graduate students at Department of Biotechnology, SIES College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Sion (W).

Suparna is the Joint secretary for the third consecutive term. She was the Convenor of the Science Awareness Committee (2021-2023) and its present Secretary.  She has been associated with Science Nurture teaching, IWSA internships and various programmes (offline and online) of the Science Awareness Committee.

Ms. Priya Jacob

Designation: Jt. Secretary

Email: priya2jacob@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:

M.Sc. in Food Science & Nutrition,

MS University, Vadodara

Priya started her career in 1992 as Research Assistant at SNDT Women’s University, Santa Cruz, Mumbai on the research project Food Security/Strategy sponsored by Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

She later joined as a dietitian in MGM Hospital, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. For the past 20 years she worked in US Healthcare medical documentation and most recently as website content writer. Her interests include art, craft and design and healthy meal planning. She was Convenor of Health Care Committee (2021-2023) and is the present Secretary of the same. She is a member of the Newsletter and Publications committees.

Ms. Manashi Chakraborthy

Designation: Treasurer

Email: manashi.chakraborty28@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications: B.Sc. (Physics): University of Calcutta

M.Sc. (Maths): University of Calcutta

Manashi has been associated with IWSA for the last eight years. She has been involved in teaching maths (offline and online) to the Sc. Nurture students since 2016. She was the treasurer of Science Awareness, Health Care & Golden Jubilee Committees (2021-2023), currently serving as the treasurer of IWSA and Sc. Awareness Committee (2023-2025).

Her special interest is in Homeopathy and is a member of MAVELIL HOMOEO MISSION (Trivandrum).

Ms. Madhu Pahwa

Designation: Member

Email: madhupahwa50@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:
M.Sc. (Botany), University of Allahabad

B.Ed. (Botany), Annamalai University

Madhu has over 20 years of teaching experience in the field of Biology. A gold medalist in Botany from Allahabad University, she has also been a part of her family business. Madhu was a Teacher at Sacred Heart High School, Vashi during June-1986 to Oct-1988, and at ICL Jhunjhunwala College of Science Arts & Commerce, Vashi during Nov-1988 to June-2008 when she retired from service. She received the Best Teacher Award from the college in 2008. During 1991 to 1999 she was an entrepreneur, managing a business of books and periodicals.

Madhu has been associated with IWSA since 2012. Initially as a member, then Jt Secretary in the Executive Committee of IWSA for two terms (2015-17 and 2017-19) and was Secretary (2021-23).  In addition, she has been actively involved in the IWSA subcommittees of Science Awareness, Health, Computer education, Hostel and Day Care. She is the Convenor of Hostel and Day Care Committee (2021-2023 & 2023-2025).

Ms. R. Bhuvaneshwari

Designation: Member

Email: r.bhuw@yahoo.com

Educational Qualifications:
B.Sc. Science

Bhuvaneshwari has been associated with IWSA for a large number of years. She was the Co-ordinator of Hall Maintenance Sub-committee (2021-2023). She was in IWSA Computer committee from 2008 to 2016. She has been associated with the Nursery and ECCE committee. She has been the Treasurer in the Executive committee (2015-17). She was the Convener of the Hostel and Day care committee (2019-2021). Bhuvaneshwari is at present the Secretary of the Hostel and Day Care Committee and Treasurer of the Building Committee. She has been on the Executive Committee since 2008.

Ms. Vijayalakshmi Tilak

Designation: Member

Ms. Vijayalakshmi Tilak

Email: varalakshmi55@yahoo.com

Educational Qualifications:
B.Sc. (Chemistry, Botany & Zoology)

M.A.: Russian

Vijayalakshmi joined BARC in 1982 as a specialist in Russian. She retired from BARC in 2015.

Vijayalakshmi is the Co-ordinator of Green Initiatives (2021-2023, 2023-2025). She has been very passionately involved with several green initiatives at IWSA such as waste to manure project, kitchen water recycling and solar power generation. She was IWSA secretary (2019-2021) and has been part of Science Awareness, Library, Building, Hostel and Day Care committees.

Ms. Tripta Tewari

Designation: Member

Email: triptatewari@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:

M.Sc. (Chemistry)

B.Ed. (Science & Maths)

Tripta worked as a teacher (Supervisor, Examiner & Moderator) in a secondary school for 30 years. Her special interests are Yoga training, Photography, Computers and Nature.

Tripta has been involved in Science Nurture teaching both offline and online. She was Co-convenor of Science Awareness Sub-committee (2019-2021). Tripta has been on the Computer and Library Sub-committees and is at present a Treasurer of the Health Committee. She is a member of the Green Initiatives of IWSA (2021-2023).

Ms. Sukhvinder Sandhu

Designation: Member

Email: vinisandhu@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:

B.Sc.  Agra University

Diploma in Textile Designing

Post graduate Diploma in Computer Management

She worked as a computer teacher for 22 years. Her work experience includes active participation in all the school events, competitions and functions for students and workshops for staff. She has handled designing brochures, reverse projections for school functions, organised picnics and educational trips to many parts of India. Her special interests are social activities and organising events.

She is an active member of IWSA and currently serving as the Convener of Computer Education Centre (2021 – 2023). She is active member of Science Awareness Committee and Hostel & Day Care Committee as well.

Dr. Rita Mukhopadhyaya

Designation: Immediate Past President

Email: rita45@gmail.com

Educational Qualifications:
M.Sc. & B.Sc. Environmental Physiology & Biochemistry, Life Sciences, Viswa Bharati University

Ph. D. (Chemistry) Immune Status in Oral Cancers, Applied Biology, University of Mumbai

Rita superannuated from the Bioscience Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, as Head of Gene Technology Section in November 2019. Rita was an INSA DFG visiting scientist at the Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, Wurzburg, (Germany, 2015-16, a Fogarty international fellow at the National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland (USA, 1988-92) a Sitaram Joglekar awardee for PhD at the Cancer Research Institute, Parel, (Mumbai, 1982-87), a Govt. of India Merit Scholarship holder for postgraduate study in Santiniketan (West Bengal, 1980-82). Rita spent her research career spanning 35 years with subject expertise on High Throughput Sequencing, Bioinformatics, Radiation Resistance in model organisms, Human Molecular Genetics, Molecular Biology of Retroviruses and Cancer Immunology. She now facilitates training for DNA & RNA sequencing and is a consultant for implementation of whole genome sequencing technology for national health programs. She also engages in popularising green technologies, education about introduction of new crop varieties and hygienic ways of solar drying to the rural sectors. She has acquired licenses for 3 non power based green technologies from BARC. These have been implemented at Murutdih village in Bankura, West Bengal and at Kasti & Dalkhan villages, Thane, Maharashtra. Among other social recognitions, Rita has been awarded the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha’s `Karmaveer’ award for women in education and social work: 2009-10, the CAPS award for women achievers of Navi Mumbai: 2008-09. Rita is an avid trekker and has trekked extensively across the Himalayas and Western Ghats while also making her way through the mountains in the North East and central India.

She has served as IWSA President 2021-2023; Vice President 2019-2021 and Convener of Computer Education Centre for 2 years. She has earlier been an elected EC member and worked as Secretary and Treasurer 2 years each in different terms of the EC. She introduced Workshop based advanced trainings on High Throughout sequencing (2017-2019), Protein simulations, Machine Learning (2020) and others thereafter.