Ruhi Sikka
BIO
Assistant professor of biotechnology at GLA University (India). Mother of two boys.
“Priorities shift moment to moment; sometimes I take time off just to be with my children, and at other times, I work late into the night to meet academic deadlines.”
I was born and brought up in a very small town in India. I am the youngest of three siblings and have always been passionate about science. After completing my bachelor’s degree in biotechnology, I pursued a one-year diploma in bioinformatics. I have been fascinated by genetics since my school days, and decided to further my education in the same field. In July 2009, I undertook a MSc in Human Genetics, followed by a PhD from a government university in India.
My PhD journey was a roller coaster as I struggled to secure funding for my work and fellowship. In December 2014, I was shortlisted for a prestigious fellowship in India, but the funding agency took almost 1.5 years to send the selection letter due to a lack of funds.
For almost a year, I depended on either my father or best friend for financial support. After completing my PhD, I ventured to the USA for my postdoc. My mentor was not only an amazing scientist but also a wonderful human being.
The entire lab was so helpful and supportive that it never made me feel like I was living in a different country far from home. I enjoyed my work and managed a long-distance relationship with my husband, who was a postdoc in Barcelona, Spain at the time.
I found out I was pregnant in August 2018, bringing joy to both of us. It was our first baby, and like every first-time parent, we were nervous and anxious. After much discussion, we decided to return to India. It was one of the toughest decisions I have ever made. I never wanted to leave my dream job, but at the same time, we wanted to be close to family during the birth.
After my son's birth, my husband got a position at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and in November 2019, we moved to the UK. I received a postdoc offer at University College London (UCL), but in December 2019, COVID-19 happened. Our son wasn't even one, so we decided that I should continue being his primary carer.
Getting a position in India after a career break has never been easy. In an interview, I mentioned that I had published a paper, attended a workshop, and delivered an online lecture while taking care of my son during my career break. The interviewer replied “So you did nothing in the last two years”.
COVID-19 was tough on everyone; we lost almost eight members of our immediate family. Therefore, we decided at that time to return to India and take care of our parents. In December 2021, I joined GLA University (Mathura) as an Assistant Professor, along with my husband. Since then, I have applied for several research grants but faced rejections, often attributed to my limited post-break experience and fewer publications. What remains disheartening is that funding agencies often overlook a crucial truth: research experience and publications require grants in the first place. Fortunately, my husband was able to secure a start-up grant from the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (Government of India) and the National Institutes of Health (USA). I am also grateful to GLA University for their generous support through a seed grant, which has been instrumental in helping us establish our research lab.
In 2024, we were blessed with our second son. Welcoming a child at this stage of our careers was both joyful and challenging. With no daycare facilities in or near our university, it was especially difficult for me as a breastfeeding mother to leave my four-month-old at home. The university allowed me to bring my son to the office and my husband and I arranged our classes so that we had no overlapping teaching commitments. Now, both our children stay at home with their grandparents, a source of immense relief for us as we know they are in loving and safe hands.
As a woman, balancing a demanding career and a growing family is never easy. But with a strong support system, the juggling act becomes a little more manageable. Priorities shift moment to moment; sometimes I take time off just to be with my children, and at other times, I work late into the night to meet academic deadlines. That’s how I navigate both roles. As a mother, I do carry “mom guilt” about leaving my kids for 8 to 9 hours a day. Yet, at the same time, I feel proud that I am walking the path my father always encouraged me to pursue - with dedication, resilience, and integrity.