Coimbatore: Recognising the path to success from being an average village girl from a middle class family to becoming a noted researcher in the field of bird toxicology, a Chennai based organisation has offered the Achievement Award to bird researcher V. Kirubanandhini for her conservation efforts.
Coimbatore: Recognising the path to success from being an average village girl from a middle class family to becoming a noted researcher in the field of bird toxicology, a Chennai based organisation has offered the Achievement Award to bird researcher V. Kirubanandhini for her conservation efforts.
Kirubanandhini, who is currently working as a junior researcher at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) in Anaikatti, was offered the award by the Mind Next Organisation, based in Chennai, during the inauguration of its Women Scientific Forum in Chennai on Sunday.
The forum has been initiated to help women from rural backgrounds apply for science grants with ease. “Many women from rural backgrounds are interested in research but are unable to find the needed help to achieve their dreams. Hence, forums such as these are very important to light the candle in someone’s life,” said Kirubanandhini.
32-year-old Kirubanandhini on the other hand, has been able to climb the ladder on her own and that too with success. Being the first graduate in her family ailing from a small village in Pollachi, Kirubanandhini is currently pursuing her PhD in assessing heavy metals using birds as indicator species.
“When I was a kid, my uncle would always tell me to find issues in society and find solutions for it. I believe those words were a big inspiration in my life and I started reading about issues concerning bird. That was the first spark,” she told Simplicity.
Continuing with the spark, Kirubanandhini took up Biology in school and went on to finish her M Phil in Zoology. She immediately took up the position as a Technical Assistant with SACON and focussed on the effects of pesticides on birds.
Travelling rigorously across Rajasthan, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu for her project, Kirubanandhini is involved in conducting post mortems of birds and finding out the percentage of heavy metals and pesticides in their body, which has become a threat lately.
“Year after year, we see so many birds dying to kite festivals, pesticides and poisoning in India. If this should be stopped, a deeper research is required,” opined Kirubanandhini.
Her advice to people who want to achieve in life is very simple. “Take up issues that trouble society and start working hard until you find a solution. Never wait for another person to solve your problem,” she stated.