M. A. Vijayalakshmi

M. A. Vijayalakshmi, affectionately known as Viji, is a renowned Indian chemist and scientist who in the early 1970s boldly traveled to France to advance her skills in chemistry despite societal norms restricting women's mobility. She earned her M.Sc. in Chemistry from the All India Institute of Chemistry in Calcutta, Ph.D. from the University of Burgundy in France, and D.Sc. from Sweden, later serving as Director of the Centre for Bio-separation Technologies at VIT University. Her illustrious career includes over 200 publications, 15 international patents, recognition by Stanford University as one of the top 2% global scientists in her field, and prestigious awards such as the Pierce Science Award, Chevalier Award, and VIT Lifetime Achievement Award; her biography 'Challenge the Challenges' chronicles her journey.