Jahnavi Phalkey’s first stay in the United Kingdom was to read for a masters degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She returned a few years later as Junior Research Fellow to Imperial College London, following which she secured a lectureship at King’s College London. Jahnavi Phalkey was appointed Founding Director of Science Gallery Bengaluru in November 2018.
Speaking exclusively to Asian Voice, Jahnavi said, “While at King’s, I was briefly an external curator to the Science Museum London. As one can tell, I have spent some time in different roles in the United Kingdom that have been important, even foundational, to the way in which my career has developed. Specifically, my work for the Science Museum London gave me the opportunity to think about public spaces for science and how one might reimagine their role and mandate. The Cultural Institute at King’s supported my work tremendously with grants that allowed me to travel, meet people and learn more about curating. Cumulatively, the learning and experience contribute to my ability to lead the establishment of Science Gallery Bengaluru today.”
On 11 March, WHO characterised Covid-19 as a pandemic. At the time, Science Gallery Bengaluru had three ideas on the table for an exhibition season and one of them was ‘Contagion’.
Phalkey said, “My team and I decided within a week that we must go ahead with the idea, and wrote our Open Call. CONTAGION, as it opened on 30 April 2021, shares a multiplicity of voices and perspectives – contemporary and historic, artistic and scientific, individual and collective – to support a better understanding of what we are all living through.”
She further explained that the goal was to illuminate a phenomenon: that of transmission - of ideas, behaviours and disease to equip our audience with the diversity of knowledge and perspectives available already.
“Our end goal is to enable the public at large to find their own path to exploring the phenomenon, and to ask better questions of the terrifying situation we find ourselves in. CONTAGION, the exhibition is freely available online at www.nowtransmitting.com till 13 June 2021,” she added.
As a woman in a leadership role for something as imperative as a Science Gallery in such times, what does Jahnavi do differently?
“Like pretty much every woman in the workforce globally, I bring with me the experiences of not having been taken seriously at times, of having been undermined on occasion, and of having the grit to survive and thrive. A robust public conversation on science is, as you very rightly say, imperative in our times and to push that possibility, it is going to take perseverance and determination in addition to the moral commitment which many men and women already bring to our profession. Most women come to the table not necessarily expecting to be understood or accepted right away and that might, sometimes, help in realising this mandate,” Jahnavi told the newsweekly.
When asked how young women can take up roles like Jahnavi’s, she said, “Young women should pursue their own interests. They should have the courage to abandon a project or a job or a field if they find that they are now interested deeply and seriously in something new. They should commit themselves to the best standards in whatever they do and they should be ready to occasionally fail. Leadership roles are often given to people who show determination, grit, and ambition - they are called upon when people need a job done - and this is usually true no matter what field you are in.”
Why should women pursue Science and how can they make a difference? Jahanvi said, “Women should pursue whatever field they feel drawn to. Women can make a difference when they are audacious but only when that audacity is accompanied by the perseverance to realise the proposition.”
