HRD minister Smriti Irani.
The IITs, predominantly a male club that never had a woman director or scientist in its council, is in for a big change.
HRD ministry has nominated two women scientists Tessy Thomas and Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath to the IIT council, the apex body of 16 IITs.
A senior HRD official said, "The idea behind getting women scientists in the IIT council is to show that science is not the sole preserve of men. Women can be at par with men in carrying out research."
