Meena Upadhyaya came to Wales in 1974, moving roughly 4,000 miles away from her small hometown of Modinagar, India. Armed with a degree in biology, she became renowned in her field across Wales and beyond, despite facing struggles and tragedy along the way.
She can look back on a distinguished career as a scientist, winning multiple awards – including the European Neurofibromatosis Group Award in 2013 – and making numerous pioneering discoveries in her field.
2024 is the year of Wales in India, which celebrates the links between the two countries. And Meena is just one example of the welcoming nature of Wales and how people can really thrive here.
Meena moved to the UK, initially to live in Edinburgh with her husband Krishna. A few years later, Meena and her husband moved to Cardiff – a city that would become her home – where she began her PhD and welcomed a daughter to complete her family.
Busy with her family and her PhD, she completed her research and was ready to start writing her thesis. Life in Wales was going well until tragedy struck. At the age of just 35, Krishna sadly died from a sudden heart attack.
Meena, who’s now in her seventh decade, reflected on this heartbreaking time and her decision to stay in Wales despite losing her husband. With her family half the world away, pleading with her to come home, Meena decided Wales was the best place for her and her daughter.
She said: “It was a sudden death and one which was completely unexpected as my husband was healthy. After he passed away, life was really tough for me and my daughter, especially as all my family was in India.”
“I was determined to succeed for my daughter, but it wasn’t easy. Life became stressful, as I balanced looking after my daughter and continuing with my studies.”
It soon became clear she’d made the right choice to stay. Meena began specialising in research and focused on genetic diseases, such as muscular dystrophies and a condition called Neurofibromatosis Type 1, where patients can develop life-threatening tumours.
She became a pioneer in her field, tirelessly working long hours while caring for her daughter. She said: "I would drop my daughter off at ballet classes on Saturday mornings for half a day and then head straight to my office to continue my research."
“There were no school breakfast clubs and childcare wasn’t as easily accessible as it is now, so I had to rely on friends. I felt so guilty at times, but I had to make it work.”
Meena went on to become a professor at Cardiff University’s Institute of Cancer and Genetics and directed the All-Wales Medical Genetics Service Research and Development Laboratory in the post of Consultant Molecular Geneticist. She made pioneering discoveries, authored more than 200 scientific articles, three books and 26 book chapters, she travelled widely representing Cardiff University at numerous international meetings worldwide.
She set up the Welsh Asian Women Achievement Award in 2010, after being a finalist for the Welsh Woman of the Year award – something she admitted surprised her. The awards are now known as the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association (EMWWAA).
“When I looked around the room, there were hardly any women from ethnic backgrounds,” she said.
“Although I was disappointed for not getting the award, I was motivated to set up awards specifically for ethnic minority women and girls as there are so many women and girls from ethnic backgrounds who aren’t recognized. It’s great to showcase how these women give back to Wales in their communities and workplaces.” Meena also set up another organisation; Ethnic Minority Women in Welsh Healthcare (EMWWH), a network of ethnic minority women in Welsh healthcare that promotes equality, diversity and inclusion.
Now retired, Meena is still giving back to her adopted home country. As well as being an emeritus professor at the Division of Cancer and Genetics at Cardiff University, she dedicates her time to supporting students and professionals at universities across Wales, is an advocate for equality diversity and inclusion and sits on numerous community and charity-based organisations.
She’s also fond of the country’s gorgeous scenery, saying her favourite things about Wales are the coastal landscapes, the cultural heritage, and how friendly and welcoming people are. She has also worked with the Welsh Government as a non-executive director.
She said: “I’m so grateful to Wales and I’m more than happy to give back to the educational institutes and our communities.”
Marking 2024 as the year of Wales in India, Meena’s achievements highlight the welcoming and nurturing side of Wales, something she’s been keen to emulate. Meena is making her contribution to the year with webinars and mentorship programmes to demonstrate Wales as a place of excellence and welcome.
“We are hosting a webinar on women in STEM with representatives from Cardiff University and Symbiosis University in Pune,” Meena said. “The webinar will take place in November, and aims to encourage collaboration and facilitate brainstorming sessions.
“Additionally, we are considering offering a customised mentorship through the Ethnic Minority Women in Welsh Healthcare program to assist healthcare workers from Kerala.”
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