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Neelakshi Jog in her Lab |
Her father is a scientist at DRDO. Neelakshi dreamt of at least becoming a medical doctor. But bad results at the HSC examinations left her completely shattered. This was her first failure in life. She took admission in B.Sc. Microbiology in Abasaheb Garware College, Pune. Because she was dejected she hardly went to classes except to the laboratory throughout the first year. Neelakshi had never been a bad student, but neither was she very much into studies. She says, “I was not like those kids who are ever focused as to what to do in life. I always got good grades as Dad was always very strict about it. Even he did not expect these results. He was the one who helped me change my attitude to becoming optimistic. He used to tell me that slowly, steadily and strategically I would move ahead and reach the top some day. I wouldn't be what I am if it weren't for him.”
Presently pursuing a Ph.D. in Immunology at University of Louisville, Kentucky…. She aims to be an academician, a professor at the graduate level and work in basic sciences. How did research happen to her? “M.Sc. times were really good. It was basically my Dad and my Professors at Pune University and NARI (National Aids Research Institute, an ICMR Institute at Bhosari) who encouraged me. During M.Sc., I got a bilateral experience; a thesis on lectin production in the department and summer training at NARI where I got introduced to immunology. My supervisor there was very nice. My project was isolating and characterizing an upper respiratory tract bacterium. The whole objective was to introduce us to research as by now, we were quite familiar with the microbiological techniques. My M.Sc. experience taught me where and how to apply what I already knew.”
“While finishing my M.Sc. I thought about doing the GRE exam and took it up after a couple of months after completing my Masters. Meanwhile, I got through as a JRF at NCCS on a project- 'Characterization of immune response towards DNS vaccine against HIV infection' with Dr. Bhaskar Saha. After a year I left coz I'd got admission in the United States, directly to a PhD program. I had prepared for my GRE on my own, scored badly but enough to get a fellowship. It covered my stipend, health insurance, and tuition.” That fellowship lasted her till 2003. Now she has a pre-doctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association for working on her Ph.D. topic-'Molecular signaling pathways in neutrophils'.
Comparing the Indian and American education systems she says, “Well, it's really difficult to compare these two. They are completely different systems. The good thing about the schools and professors there is that they trust their students, which is kind of rare in India. There the students get more |
independence. They are made to think more, rather than just remember whatever they have been taught. Just to give you a simple example; in an exam if you write an answer which is exactly opposite to what the professor has in mind but give a logical explanation for your answer, you get the credit, although the model/ideal answer is different.”
Does she want to return to India? “My mother died in July 1996. Dad died in November. So I don't feel I have a reason to come back to India. Only after his death have I realized how attached I really was to him. It's my biggest loss in life. The best thing to happen to me was maybe 'coming to USA'. My dad had been offered many chances to come to this country, which he really wanted to do. He did not want to keep moving around the world thinking it would affect our lives and education. So it was my dream that once I finish my PhD I would get him here, which of course now I cannot.”
How did she get associated with LPF? “I learned about LPF from the newspapers and at the Department while doing my M.Sc. II year. We were not filthy rich, but finances were never a problem. It was just a way of reassuring myself and seeing if I was falling short than others, which I realized I was not. LPF was really important for me as it gave me confidence about myself. That was the time I was actually getting serious about my career. My sisters were more talented than I, so I had of developed an inferiority complex and LPF helped me get over it. I feel the foundation is working for a noble cause, and I wish it all the best. And, yeah, I wish to mention one thing here. When I became a Lila Fellow back in 1998, on my birthday, I got this huge bouquet of roses from the foundation. It was totally unexpected and made me feel really happy. I won't ever forget that!!”
Neelakshi describes her journey as 'educating'. She is still single not because she does not want to marry but because she feels she has not yet met the 'right guy'. Of her hobbies, painting has got left behind. She likes visiting places, reading and playing the Sitar. When in Pune she had learnt the Sitar for a few years from Ustad Usman Khan. She played at an Indian Student Diwali Function and had her picture in the University Newspaper; the coverage of which we quote, “the audience went crazy over the seemingly impossible skill that Jog displayed”.
Does she have a message for all of us? “It's really difficult to give a message like that, but I feel that by just being yourself and taking advantage of what is best in you, will make you successful in life. Aiming at being at the highest position is not bad, but at the same time you have to realize that there is no place which is “the highest”. There is always someone who is going to be in a higher position than you. So don't get depressed if you realize that you don't have the ultimate power even after working hard. It's probably not your fault. That's the way the world works!! Try to be at your best rather than being the best in society. According to me, any career is good, if you are really devoted to it. If you are ready to work hard, you can achieve lots of things, no matter what field you choose to work in.”
- RAJANI PANCHANG |
