Suvangi Rath – Founder & CEO of Vigyan Varta An International E-Magazine for Science Enthusiasts Exclusive Interview

TheCconnects: Can you tell our readers a little about your professional journey and how did you come to your current role/ position?

Suvangi Rath: It seems like a dream!!! Just like everyone, I was stuck in the global pandemic and was wondering what could be done to turn the negativity around into something positive. Every day was a challenge and I was trying to engage myself in some productive activity. The only medium that was active was the digital medium. I still remember that it was a very casual talk with one of my acquaintances. However, that night something twitched in my brain and I knew exactly what to do. 26th April 2020 was the date. The seed of launching my own scientific e-magazine was sown deep in my heart and brain. From then there was no looking back. It still cannot believe that even during that time we could find very committed people who worked day in and day-out with me and just within two weeks we were out into the whole world we are e-magazine on 14th May, 2020.

We started with just 2 people working and handling everything, never expecting that our magazine will gain momentum from its very first month. See there are a lot many scientific magazines in the country and also in my field that is agriculture however, I started with the aim of nurturing young students and develop their scientific writing skills and waive out the problems of accessibility and affordability of scientific publications. Slowly and steadily, we reached every nook and corner of the country and even abroad. When I started the magazine, I was just a master’s student back then in 2020.

After completion of my M.Sc. in agricultural economics, I joined PhD and continued my research along with my magazine. Since my masters, I was travelling a lot for professional purposes and presentations. But soon with my magazine, I was invited as the youngest speaker and resource person in leading educational meet ups, faculty development programmes and conferences of national and international repute to deliver lectures and speeches on varied topics viz. research, publication, and entrepreneurship. Along with the magazine, my academic career even flourished and I got opportunity to visit and present my work at the international level as well. Nevertheless, I believe this is just the beginning and there is much more to follow.

TheCconnects: Who has influenced you the most in life and why?

Suvangi Rath: Well!! There’s not one. Rather there are many who have inspired me to work and stay committed to what I do. Starting with my parents, they have always been an epitome of commitment and tireless humans who make sure to complete each responsibility with perfection that they are entrusted with. Can’t forget my teachers who were living examples of the proverb “Hard work has no substitute”. I have seen my parents and teachers being so consistent in their work that they made me believe “if you are consistent and committed to your work, duties and responsibilities, then there is nothing that can bring you down. Success is a journey and not only the end.”

TheCconnects: What are the biggest challenges you have faced in your life and how did you overcome them?

Suvangi Rath: Honestly there are many of them. Most common being the gender and age. Being a girl in a traditional middle-class society is probably one of the biggest challenges faced by me just as some other girls who want to have a career of their choice. And when it came to my enterprise, people often underestimate assuming “What can a young girl do?” I often came across comments like “Oh, the head of the magazine is a GIRL!!” “Isn’t it difficult for a girl to run an organization?” “Oh, so you’re a student still, then who’s your boss?”

Not only that, people have even left the organization when it was in need of human resources and thought its not going to thrive anymore with a girl who had just completed her masters in 2020 and was about to go for PhD. Then comes the comments like “How much do you earn from this magazine?? Is it worth doing all this?? Just find a job or get married…” and the questions continue …
There were times of self-doubt and breakdown nevertheless the way I used to overcome them was by contemplating and self-motivating and congratulating myself on each success that I reaped over these years. Believing that despite all taboos, I have been able to come far both in my entrepreneurial and my academic journey and have made it to the place that only people with strong hearts and mind can achieve, so I should never give up. By this I could slowly see the change around me as well.

TheCconnects: What lessons you have you learnt from your professional career?

Suvangi Rath: Most important lesson would be patience and affirmation. You need to believe that if you are committed and on the right path, no matter what, you will achieve every dream at some phase of your life. It may not be immediately. But it will be definitely. That needs to sink in. Another important lesson would be that Not everyone needs to be appreciative or supportive in your journey. Adversities and critics and many a times jealousy from others are rewards. They will instead affirm you that you have indeed done something in your life. So just enjoy them.

TheCconnects: What do you see as the biggest challenge for brands in the digital space?

Suvangi Rath: The biggest challenge is survival. As the world is transitioning into a ubiquitous digital sphere and more and more digital platforms are popping up daily, its important for you to survive in the crowd and deliver your services consistently with bouts of innovation from time to time.

TheCconnects: How your product/ solution can help to resolve the pain points of your customers?

Suvangi Rath: I think there are enough print and e-magazines that are very popular among the readers and authors. However, our Vigyan Varta magazine is slightly different in terms of its moto and aim to help students learn the art of scientific writing and publication without compromising on ethics, accessibility, and affordability of the same. Rather than profit-orientation, we focus on developing the skills of the students and young minds to make them equipped to publish good research articles in the future. We aim to train the minds of the authors towards quality publication instead of focusing on quantity of publication.

TheCconnects: What do you do in your free time?

Suvangi Rath: Ha Ha!!.. Well I am a workaholic. I am a full-time Research Scholar doing my PhD in Agricultural Economics in the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India. Also, I am passionate about teaching. So mostly my time gets divided in my research, teaching and my magazine management. Rest of the time, I like to play my musical instruments, cook some food, do some art, and craft and even write poems. I love to spend time with my near and dear ones whenever I find some.

TheCconnects: Do you have any advice for those who want to be an entrepreneur?

Suvangi Rath: In economics we say “Entrepreneurs are ones who take risk.” So, my advice for the entrepreneurs will be take risk but calculated risk. Know your product and most importantly know that not everyone is an entrepreneur so do not expect others to understand or support you the way you wish to. If you get the support its good but if you do not, it’s better- You’ve got a chance to prove the world that they thought would never happen. So, just go ahead.

Connect with Suvangi Rath on LinkedIn here

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