Chayanika Shah - Session 01, 2023-05-12

(00:00:58) Childhood, family background Mother was first-generation school-goer and father was first-generation college-goer. Caste/community was more interested in business than education. Mother's insistence on education for daughters. Born in Parasia, Chindwara district (now in Madhya Pradesh), but family moved to the city for the sake of education. She was stubborn about going to school very young. Joined a very small school at just over 2 years old. Studied there till Class 11.

(00:04:59) Choosing physics She speaks about needing to choose a career (PhyChemBio or PhyChemMath) in class 9 at just 13 years old. She was averse to medicine due to multiple reasons. Only two professions were acceptable – engineering or architect. Accepting parents' perception that engineering is not for girls. Fear of failure and bad drawing skills made her not want architecture. Taking PCM and being one of two in maths class. Young maths/physics teacher made an impression on her and influenced her to take up physics. Reflections on complementary choices taken by the two sisters. Hearing about IIT in Class 11 and entrance exam for 5-year-Msc programme. Fighting with parents to make them agree to IIT possibility. IIT as an aspirational institute in 1970s. Attending entrance coaching for one month in Bombay after 10th/11th.

(00:12:36) Bhola's entrance classes in Bombay Public transport as 13/14-year-old in Bombay. Odd situation and subtle messaging of being the only girl in the class. Anecdote about being belittled for not being familiar with log tables. She describes discriminatory behaviour by a teacher. She talks about the difference between ‘old maths’ and ‘new maths’ and how this affected her. JEE being just another exam. Getting offers from BITS Pilani and IIT Kanpur through board exam marks. Parents' resistance to going far away from Bombay. Her father received advice from a professor saying IIT will be too competitive, and that it was better to join a local college for undergraduate studies. Retrospective realisation that this might have been good advice. Benefits of doing UG at a second-rate institution to build confidence.

(00:19:04) Culture shock in Nagpur degree college Self-growth in 3 years of science college in Nagpur (1974-77). Teachers were unable to accept that people are choosing to study science instead of engineering/medicine. Being only one of two girls in college, both rank-holders. Having good physics teachers. Balancing inequality of gender by being the ones with better marks. Adjusting to having indiscipline and boys in class. What classrooms looked like back then – normalness of teachers and girls being harassed. Dealing with “eve-teasing” in their own way. Determined to leave Nagpur after BSc. Substandard quality of education and relying on self-study. Her memories of the Emergency period are not very clear.

(00:25:39) Coming to IIT Bombay This was after two-year MSc in Physics. Independence from home. Limited communication with family. Going home with unreserved tickets during long weekends. Limitation of not having honours in physics, but having an edge in maths knowledge. Feeling challenged (academically) for the first time. Women's hostel as a nurturing space and strong camaraderie. Situation with hostels in IIT Bombay at the time. Credit to peers and seniors, and not the institution itself. Non-interference of institution. High gender ratio in class.

(00:33:34) Hierarchy among BTech and MSc students Being in the same class as BTech students for one course and sensing discrimination from teachers and students. Being accused of copying in an exam. Segregation of science departments from engineering departments in the campus. PG students were looked at as those who were not good enough to go abroad. Enjoying physics during MSc. Pressure of exams one-after-the-other was like a whirlwind.

(00:39:45) Post-IIT process Everyone writing GRE/TOEFL to apply abroad. Deciding as a 20-year-old that she did not want to go abroad. Deciding to do a PhD elsewhere – TIFR, IISc and IIT Bombay were options. Interviewing process at IISc and not getting in. Sticking with IIT Bombay after all. (00:43:12) During PhD at IIT Bombay Shift that comes with PhD in terms of academic expectations and freedom. Year of coursework giving her free time to be more involved in political events. Student strike of Feb/Mar 1980. Being an observer during mess workers strike and hostel name strike during MSc. Forum Against Oppression of Women starting in 1980. Women's movement and left politics also was active at the time. Memories of Sandhya Gokhale. Impression made by liberated and politicised women at IIT. On women rebelling, breaking taboos, rules. On how the times were different back then.

(00:53:01) On the student's strike of 1980 Student suicide that took place during her first year. Getting involved in theatre groups. Hunger strike by a group of students belonging to various reserved groups. Their demand for inclusive treatment. Structure of student bodies and hostels. Becoming General Secretary of the Hostel and deciding on having two people in the role. Student body's decision to support the strike. General Body Meetings of the hostels and difficulty of reaching majority. Learning a lot from those processes of democracy. Nasty role played by anti-reservation students. Successful boycott of classes and dharna outside Director's Office. Resistance against carrying out hostel functions. Shutdown of the institute and directive to evacuate campus.

(01:02:34) Repercussions of students' strike Treatment of protesting students and lack of support from faculty. Legally challenging the declaration student's were forced to sign upon returning. Indira Jaisingh's arguments in the case. Notoriety of the physics department with respect to involvement in protest and consequences they had to face. A new and unsuitable workspace.

(01:07:16) Impressions of PhD programme at IIT Move from high energy physics to condensed matter. Anecdote about a colleague at the department who faced difficulty finding a guide. Reflections on research culture and impact on students. Starting a Physics Seminar and discouraging attitude by guides.

(01:14:24) Political context of 1984 Post-emergency optimism + major incidents of 1984 (women's movement, emergence of theatre groups, Bhopal gas tragedy, Bhiwandi riots of 1984, killing of Indira Gandhi). Personal exploration of politics. Impressions of guide, care and mentorship received. Being sent for summer school. Being disturbed by ugly experiences by other students.

(01:18:53) Summer school at Trieste Feeling sexualised for the first time in Europe. Experience of savarna women and the distinct kind of discrimination they face in India (gender vs body). Anecdote of inappropriate advances by a scientist at conference.

(01:22:26) Activities post PhD Working at Kishore Bharati and Hoshangabad Science Teaching Program (HSTP). Being involved in survey of health of women post Bhopal Gas Tragedy. Return to Bombay and the search for teaching jobs. Experience teaching at a junior college. Trieste as the last straw in research. Recollection of reading books on feminist critiques of science while at IIT. Utilising IIT alumni library membership.

[01:24:35 to 01:24:55 - Restricted Access. Contact archives@ncbs.res.in for details]

(01:26:20) Teaching Returning from Trieste and having to look for a new job. Memories of applying to colleges. Reason for not wanting universities (to focus on teaching instead of research). Realising most job interviews at colleges were a sham. Joining K.J. Somaiya College.

(01:29:53) Experience at Somaiya System of employment at Somaiya and issues with it. Being 'terminated' in her 3rd year and choosing to legally challenge it. Fighting a 3-year-long court case and getting reappointed in 1993. Importance of seniority at colleges. Using this time to do work with health and education.

(01:36:11) After returning to Somaiya Facing harassment from college. Anecdote about a lab attendant's behavioural issues, assault and inadequate response by Principal. How she found space and respect as a physics lecturer at Somaiya after 10 years. On enjoying teaching various kinds of students.