Prevent third wave, don't wait for it

Exclusive interview Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist, World Health Organization

- MINI P. THOMAS

As a researcher at the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis in Chennai, she would travel to the homes of her poor patients and even look after their orphaned children.

Life is essentially a quest for meaning for Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization’s first chief scientist. She has proudly taken forward the legacy of her parents— Prof M.S. Swaminathan, the architect of Green Revolution, and Mina Swaminathan, an educationist.

Each job is fulfilling in a different way, says Swaminathan. Her role as chief scientist allows her to make a real difference in the world. “Being able to contribute to pandemic response makes my life meaningful and fulfilling,” says Swaminathan, who works out of Geneva, Switzerland. “It involves dealing with a new pathogen, working with scientists around the world, advancing clinical trials, developing standards and benchmarks for vaccines and diagnostics and reviewing guidelines.”

Her ability to articulate and dejargonise scientific terms sets her apart from other scientists. Swaminathan spent her childhood surrounded by books. But they were not all about medicine. “I loved Gerald Durrell because I love animals,” she says. “I used to read Sherlock Holmes, Jane Eyre and adventure books. I also read Agatha Christie, and a lot of Indian authors like Rabindranath Tagore. I am a huge fan of Indian literature, but after getting into medicine there was less and less time to read fiction.” She now enjoys listening to podcasts on environmental science, economics, philosophy and literature.