Women Scientist (WS)- Are you happy dear virus Corona,
You have lockdown every nation because of pandemic of Corona 19,
But you will be amazed we (WS) have faced lock down many times in our lives,
People say it may be torture,
But for us WS it has been a teacher.

Virus Corona— Friends WS if people on earth don’t repair earth,
I am capable of showing to them pandemic disease worth,
Because of my COVID 19 infection spread fear,
Lockdown of 14 days is  recommended by WHO as preventive measure.

WS – I am Marie Curie, won nobel prize in 1903 in science,
When women were almost entirely excluded from science,
In the beginning of my career in Poland I couldn’t find,
A graduate school that would accept woman in science,
I worked as governess and spent my lockdown period.
But eventually this period taught me many things  good
People may consider it as torture,
But believe me friends it was a teacher.

I am Maria Goeppert Mayer won nobel prize in1963 in science,
I too was lockdown in a way different in my carrier,
I worked for 30 years without pay as a faculty member “volunteer”
Before winning a Nobel in physics; at major American universities three.
But this period taught me, key to success is  patience a trait unique,
People may consider it as torture,
But believe me friends it was a teacher.

I am  Rita Levi-Montalcini, won nobel prize in 1986 in medicine,
For my  important work nerve growth factor (NGF),
At teen age  I was lockdown by my father,
For not  to go to university education for professional carrier,
As this will interfere with the duties of wife/mother and will act as barrier,
I worked hardest to show  that these barriers  explore big opportunities,
People may consider it as torture,
But believe me friends it was a teacher

I am Gertrude Belle Elion won nobel prize in 1988 in Medicine,
In my teen age I faced lockdown of gender discrimination,
For graduate assistantships 15 graduate schools rejected my applications.
This lock period inspired me to more focus on science subject projects,
People may consider it as torture,
But believe me friends it was a teacher.

I am Jocelyn Bell Burnell   in 2018, won a $3M Breakthrough Prize in science,
When in life I was blessed with motherhood,
I was lockdown by societal pressure and advised,
Not to pursue my research in astronomy field,
In a way was disregard for my abilities in science,
This lockdown pressures gave me courage,
To go back to research in astronomy with double force,
People may consider it as torture,
But believe me friends it was a teacher.

Virus Corona – Why so many women in science challenged,
Themselves with such difficult works and different sort of lockdown,
As student, researcher and home maker in life time to time?

WS – Dear virus corona, we fearless women loved science,
whenever encountered with lockdown we worked for humanity,
Our individual freedom we sacrificed; lockdown we faced bravely,
And persuaded our career for advancing the community.

Virus Corona – I salute you all for being brave hearted,
With works and achievement remarkable,
All proud woman world scientists,
I admire how gracefully you walk with the banner,
Of lockdown of being “women scientists”.

And at the same time converted lockdown of any sort ,
In opportunities  for completing noble mission of science.
Yes friends for WS people may consider it as torture,
But I Carona also  believe; for my friends WS it was a teacher.

By Sukarma Rani Thareja
Alumnus IIT-K-1986
UP INDIA