Prof Gita Chadha appointed Obaid Siddiqi Chair in NCBS Bengaluru

The selection process for the chair was rigorous, with numerous applications received from diverse fields such as Science and Technology Studies, Design and Architecture, History of Science, Journalism, and Geography. Prof. Satyajit Mayor, Chair of the Obaid Siddiqi Chair Review Committee, expressed gratitude to the esteemed committee members for their time, energy, and unanimous decision in selecting Prof. Chadha for this prestigious position.

The Obaid Siddiqi Chair is named after late Obaid Siddiqi, founder of the Molecular Biology Unit at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR). NCBS established the chair to recognise eminent scholars whose works span over the disciplines of science, history, and culture. Commenting on the significance of the chair, NCBS stated, “The Obaid Siddiqi Chair has been set up at the intersection of the practice of science, its history and culture, and is awarded to eminent scholars whose works span these disciplines.”

“NCBS, a premier research institute focusing on biological systems at various scales, is dedicated to fostering studies on the interplay between science and society. True to the spirit of scientific enquiry, the centre is committed to promoting studies on science and society, such as history and philosophy of science, the process of science, public awareness and perception of science, sociology of the scientific community, and so on. The archives at NCBS includes rare collections that are a great resource for studies on the history of science in contemporary India,” said Prof LS Shashidhara, Centre Director, NCBS-TIFR.