Following on from an Education UK Scotland Life Sciences mission to Chandigarh, India in October 2010, a joint Royal Society (London)/Department of Science and Technology (India)-funded workshop was held at the University of St Andrews in August 2011.

The purpose of the workshop was to develop and enhance links between Scotland and the Punjab in the areas of crop production and sustainable land use and brought together researchers from across Scotland to meet Indian colleagues and develop collaborative research proposals.

The delegates from India were Dr Neelima Jerath (Executive Director of the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, Chandigarh), Dr Jatinder Kaur Arora (Head of Biotechnology, PSCST), Dr SS Gosal (Director of Research, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhaina, Punjab), Dr Rakesh Tuli (Executive Director, National Agri-food Biotechnology Institute, Punjab) and Dr NG Prasad, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali).

The launch of the workshop was held at the Royal Society of Edinburgh where the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mr Michael Russell MSP, praised the work being done by crop scientists and how collaborative work with Scotland could help many of the big global problems of the 21st century.

As well as their interests in issues such as crop science, food security and climate change, Drs Jerath and Arora are very much involved in science education for women in India. Dr Arora was awarded the Indian Television Academy award in 2010 for her contribution to 'the empowerment of rural women in the State' for her work educating women about inherited genetic disorders and gender determination.