India Launches India RISE Fellowship for 41 Women Scientists

By: WE Staff | Wednesday, 28 January 2026

• The inaugural India RISE Fellowship cohort is officially launched at the IISc, Bengaluru
• A total of 41 female scientists representing multiple parts of India have been chosen to participate
• The goal is to promote gender equity in science

India has taken a major stride toward improving gender equity in science through the establishment of the first-ever cohort of the India RISE (Research and Innovation STEMM Empowerment) Fellowship at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), located in Bengaluru.

Women scientists face additional obstacles to remaining in STEMM careers and this fellowship was designed to provide support to these women by emphasizing critical transitions throughout their careers and providing them with support to navigate the increasing chance of women leaving the workforce due to structural barriers.

The India RISE Fellowship for Women has been established by the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute at Johns Hopkins University and is in collaboration with the U.S.-India Alliance for Women’s Economic Empowerment.

The initial cohort consists of 41 women scientists from 16 States and Union Territories in India, selected from 30 institutions across the country, including IISc, Indian Institutes of Technology, AIIMS, ICMR, and many well-known universities.

The program featured leadership development training, workshops, and on-stage discussions focused on institutional changes.

Notable speakers included Dr Soumya Swaminathan; former Chief Scientist for the World Health Organization; Dr Uma Nambiar; and the current Chief Executive Officer of Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital at the Indian Institute of Science, Dr Shivkumar Kalyanaraman; and Dr Usha Vijayraghavan, who is the Dean of the Biological Sciences Division at IISc.

Dr Soumya specifically highlighted the significance of providing early-career mentors for women because when women have access to proper mentorship and support, they are able to successfully balance their desire to have a rewarding STEMM career with their desire to have a significant impact on their family and community.

To strengthen the pipeline of women researchers and future leaders of STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine), India RISE Fellows for Women combine research excellence with Leadership Development and Mentoring.

The program will address issues and challenges relating to retention, career progression and leadership (of women researchers and future Leadership in STEMM).

The development of the India RISE Fellowship for Women is therefore a comprehensive program that intends to have a significant impact on Science, Innovation and Research in India as the fellows participate in their one-year experience.