Science: In 2000, when Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath was appointed director of the National Brain Research Centre in Gurgaon, the neuroscientist made history. Ravin-dranath became the first woman to lead any of the 65 institutes under India's Ministry of Science and Technology--and today she is one of only two women who have broken the ministry's glass ceiling. When it comes to promoting women scientists in India, she says, "our record is dismal."

It may be surprising that women scientists are struggling in the nation that elected Indira Gandhi prime minister in 1966. But at a conference in New Delhi to mark International Women's Day on 8 March, more than 1000 scientists spoke of barriers to advancement and debated how to attract more women into research careers. At the meeting, science minister Kapil Sibal announced what he calls "fledgling steps to … empower women to have their rightful role in science," including new regulations to allow women with young children to work more flexible hours.