Dr. Soumya Swaminathan on Trust, Not Just Data, in Science Communication
Former WHO Chief Scientist draws pandemic lessons, calls for shift from broadcasting to listening, warns against anti-science movements threatening public health, Rashmi Kumari of Neo Science Hub, reports.
“Many of us assumed during the pandemic that providing people with facts, graphs, numbers and figures would automatically translate into rational decisions. But human beings don’t live inside spreadsheets. They operate and make decisions based on trust,” declared Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, delivering the thematic address as Guest of Honour at the National Conclave on “Lab to Society: Role of Science Communication in Building Viksit Bharat @ 2047” at the B.M. Birla Science Centre on Thursday.
The Chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization, drawing on her frontline experience leading WHO’s scientific response to COVID-19 and her tenure as Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, delivered a masterclass in the hard-won lessons of pandemic communication—lessons that revealed the fundamental gap between information and genuine understanding.
Speaking to an audience of distinguished scientists, academics, industry leaders, and media veterans, Dr. Swaminathan articulated a vision of science communication built not on data alone, but on trust, storytelling, and the humility to listen before speaking.
The Infodemic: When Facts Aren’t Enough
Dr. Swaminathan began by acknowledging former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu’s emphasis on building scientific temper in young people through educational institutions, families, and media. But she quickly pivoted to the central paradox of our age: “We actually live in a world today where science has never been stronger and yet public trust in science is becoming fragile.”
The COVID-19 pandemic crystallized this contradiction. “During the COVID-19 pandemic we saw how rapidly there were advances in the development of vaccines and other countermeasures, and yet we also saw fear and anger,” she recalled. “This experience taught us that along with fighting the virus, we also needed to fight the infodemic.”
That term—infodemic, an epidemic of false and misleading information—has taken on renewed urgency. Dr. Swaminathan pointed to contemporary developments in the United States as a cautionary tale. “Today you see that happening especially around vaccines and other health-related information in the United States, where there is a very strong group of people, including the Secretary of Health himself, who is an anti-vaxxer, an anti-science person and who is promoting a lot of false beliefs.”
The consequences, she emphasized, are not theoretical. “This has led to actual impact on people’s lives. If you develop a distrust in science, a distrust in vaccines, it has led to an increase in measles. They have had more measles in the United States this year, 2025, than they had over the last 30 or 40 years. That’s because more people are now moving away from vaccines.”
Beyond White Coats: Redefining Science
Dr. Swaminathan challenged narrow conceptions of what science is and where it happens. “Many people think of science in that way—that you have to put on a white coat and be inside the lab to do science. But ultimately that science has to translate into improving the lives of people, whether it is through health, whether it is through space technology, whether it is through a new drug or a vaccine, or even things like the internet or like when electricity was invented.”
Her point was fundamental: “Everything we take for granted today came from scientific discoveries that were made and then built upon.”
But communicating science requires acknowledging its essential nature. “Science is constantly evolving and changing. It is a fact that science is not static and that our knowledge and facts need to keep up and need to change with deeper understanding—and today that is also happening at a very fast rate.”
This dynamism creates a communication challenge. “If you say something today and you want to say something a little bit different tomorrow based on new knowledge, people should not get the impression that either you were not knowing what you were talking about or you were not speaking the truth.”
The WHO’s Social Listening: Understanding Before Persuading
Drawing on WHO’s communication strategy during the pandemic, Dr. Swaminathan introduced the concept of “social listening”—a practice that fundamentally challenged traditional top-down science communication.
“At the WHO, we did have a program that our communications department developed, which was called social listening,” she explained. “Social listening was essentially about keeping a very close watch, particularly on social media and online conversations, about what were the themes that people were discussing, what were they worried about, what were they anxious about, where was the misinformation actually really being spread, in which areas was there more misinformation and which areas were there more questions.”
This approach yielded a crucial insight: “I also learnt that when people ask questions, it doesn’t mean that they are a skeptic or anti-science. It only means that they may not understand what we are saying. They are genuinely asking a doubt or a question, and we should, as scientists, pay attention to that. We should respect those views and we should of course communicate in a way in which we can address their fears.”
Conspiracy Theories and Genuine Concerns
Dr. Swaminathan distinguished between far-out conspiracy theories and legitimate questions requiring honest answers. “There was a lot of fear about vaccines causing infertility. There were of course a lot of conspiracy theories also that vaccines have all kinds of things like chips that are being injected into people. Those were very far-out conspiracy theories.”
But other concerns deserved serious engagement. “Does a particular vaccine have a particular side effect? That is a genuine question that needs to be answered with data. And when data is being collected, one also needs to say that as of today, we have data based on three months of experience of using this vaccine. And we know that this, this and this is happening. In another six months we may have much more data and we may be able to then give a better explanation for certain things.”
Her prescription was transparency about uncertainty itself: “That uncertainty also has to be communicated along with what are already the facts.”
It became clear during COVID-19, she noted, that “certain voices were more credible than others.” The lesson: “Sometimes your facts may be correct, but the failure is that we speak without listening first.”
Three Critical Shifts for Viksit Bharat 2047
Dr. Swaminathan outlined three fundamental shifts India must make in building its science communication framework for 2047.
From Broadcasting to Listening
“From broadcasting alone we need to move to listening, which means that we need platforms, we need science hubs and platforms which bring the public together with scientists and policymakers to actually understand what do people believe and why,” she urged. “It is very difficult to change mindsets unless you understand what are the beliefs behind that.”
Expanding the Communicators
“From who is going to be the communicators of messages—let’s say for important public health messaging—I think of course the public health experts, the doctors, the scientists, the government officials should speak. But in addition to that, we need to involve our teachers, our frontline workers, our community leaders, state leaders, youth groups, because when those people speak, you know them individually, you have trust in them, and that really helps you to understand the message.”
From Data to Stories
“From data alone to stories. I always find that a story stays with you much longer than a piece where you only read a lot of statistics. Whereas if you describe something happening as a story, then that message actually tends to stay.”
Smuggling Ideas: The Power of Narrative
To illustrate the power of storytelling, Dr. Swaminathan shared an example from mental health communication. “I remember a friend of mine, Dr. Mohan Agashe, who’s a very well-known psychiatrist but he is also an actor, filmmaker, director. He was director of the Film Institute of India at one point of time. He uses the phrase ‘smuggling ideas into people’s minds.'”
Dr. Agashe has made numerous films about mental health issues—conditions that remain stigmatized in society despite better understanding. “Even today you will find a lot of people with mental illness feel they don’t feel that they can speak about it or their families cannot talk about it,” Dr. Swaminathan observed.
“He used to say that you need to, through his films, convey that empathy, the understanding which can only come through a story and not through just telling you that we have x million people suffering from depression or x million people suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia. You don’t really get the feeling of what it is, but when you have visualized somebody who has lived with that condition, you have seen it.”
This is where science communicators and media become essential bridges. “Journalists need to translate scientific stories, scientific discoveries and facts by adding the stories, adding the context, the local context and of course in the local language. Language is also very important.”
Hidden Hunger and the 2047 Dividend
Turning to nutrition—a field central to her father M.S. Swaminathan’s legacy—Dr. Swaminathan acknowledged progress while highlighting persistent challenges. Former Vice President Naidu had spoken about food security and her father’s role. “Now today, it’s true that we have enough food and in fact we even export food, but we cannot say that everyone in India has adequate nutrition.”
She introduced the concept of “hidden hunger”—deficiency of micronutrients including iron, zinc, selenium, vitamins, and quality protein. “This actually affects our cognitive development. Our brain develops in the first five years of life. After that the brain is hardly growing. So whatever cognitive development and intellectual development potential has to develop, it is only in the first five years.”
The implications for Viksit Bharat are stark. “If you look at 2047, the children who are born today are going to be 21 years old at that time. So if we want to really have a demographic dividend from our young people, we have to focus on human capital development, which is essentially health, nutrition, and education. And the first five years of life is important.”
Current statistics tell a troubling story. “When we see the levels of stunting and underweight today in our country, and at the same time a growing level of obesity, overweight, diabetes, etc., it all boils down to our diet—unhealthy diet.”
Diet and Air Pollution: The Twin Threats
Dr. Swaminathan identified the two critical risk factors for health in contemporary India. “Two important risk factors for health today are diet and air pollution. And these two contribute a huge amount, actually amongst all the risk factors, to our health.”
Addressing these requires understanding that “good food or nutritious food does not mean expensive food.” The challenge, she argued, is corporate influence. “Here it’s a battle with the big companies which promote, which advertise, unhealthy food. They misleadingly advertise it as healthy food.”
She painted a vivid picture of the problem: “For a poor person who is running short of time, who is busy working, the woman doesn’t have time really to go out and cook, she sees an advertisement which says ‘buy this product, it will make your children very strong, it will build their muscles.’ She is going to spend all her money on buying that product rather than on buying some fruits and vegetables and dal which she could cook and feed her family.”
The solution requires both regulation and awareness. “Today I think our levels of nutrition awareness are extremely low. Even very well-educated people are not aware of what…” she trailed off, noting the presence of experts who would address this further.
Dr. Swaminathan acknowledged the release of a booklet on oils and fats at the conclave, noting the prevalence of “so many misconceptions and myths. Everybody wants a quick solution, so the best thing is to take a supplement, take a pill, take a protein drink, rather than go back to healthy eating habits.”
Speaking to Stakeholders: Tailored Communication
Dr. Swaminathan demonstrated sophisticated understanding of how different stakeholders require different communication approaches.
For Farmers
“Our farmers—if we want them to diversify our crops, we need to speak to them in a language which makes sense to them. So why should they diversify? Why should a farmer who grows only paddy diversify? He will do it, he or she will do it if their income is protected. If you ask them to take a hit on their income, they’re not going to. After all, that’s their survival, particularly since we know in India more than 60 percent—or 80 percent—are small farmers.”
But there’s another argument beyond economics: climate resilience. “In the future, when we have climate change impacting, you can actually lose a cash crop and a farmer can lose everything in that one disaster, climate disaster. The entire crop can go. This has happened last year. We have seen it happening across India in many states.”
The alternative offers security: “If they are diversified and they also have some climate-resilient crops like millets, then even if there is a prolonged drought, at least they will have those millets available for them to eat. They are not going to go hungry.”
For School Children
“For schools and for school children, we need to link nutrition with learning outcomes and future opportunities. We’ve got to give this message about good physical health, mental cognitive growth which is linked to nutrition, because every child wants to do well, every child has some role models and heroes whether they are sports role models or whether they are scientist role models. So we need to link the communication.”
Her practical prescription: “We need nutrition gardens, kitchen gardens in every school and Anganwadi centre so that children can not only grow, help to grow and also to eat and understand what nutritious diet looks like.”
For Policymakers
“For policymakers we need to make the case that nutrition is not just something which is a health issue. Just like air pollution—it is considered an environmental issue, something that looks bad, but actually it is a health issue and it is actually cutting years from our lives significantly, causing all kinds of diseases.”
But scientists must understand policymaking realities. “Policy is based not just on scientific facts and evidence—though as scientists we all want to believe that if we provide the facts, the policymaker should act. But that is not how policy is made. It depends on political priorities, it depends on the budget and finances that are available, it depends on administrative feasibility.”
Her prescription for researchers was specific: “Even if we write a paper which is published in a peer-review journal, if it has an implication for policy, we should be able to very simply make a one or two-page policy note which actually lays out the problem, what the research had done, what it showed and how that could actually become a policy and impact much larger numbers of people.”
Data for Policy: The State-Level Breakthrough
Dr. Swaminathan shared a successful example from her ICMR tenure. “In 2016 when I was DG ICMR, we released the state-level disease burden estimates for India for the first time. Before that we did not have a state-level burden, it was all national-level statistics.”
There were concerns about interstate comparisons creating political sensitivities, “but actually everybody welcomed that report because for a state policymaker he or she needs to see—okay, in Telangana what is the burden of disease that I have, what is it that my funding should be going towards, etc., and what should I be planning for in the future.”
She noted with satisfaction that “at that time Health Minister Nadda and former Vice President Naidu were the two who released that, and after that ICMR has been updating the state-level disease burdens.”
Science Diplomacy: Truth Beyond Borders
In a powerful section addressing geopolitical challenges, Dr. Swaminathan articulated a vision of science diplomacy rooted in universal truths. “We live in a polarized world. There is increasing geopolitical mistrust. Every day we see all sorts of issues happening. Collaborations are being restricted, narratives are polarized and sometimes scientific evidence is distorted.”
But science, she argued, transcends these divisions. “Science diplomacy rests on simple truths. The first truth is that pathogens do not need passports, as we saw very well during the pandemic. Similarly, climate change does not respect any national boundaries or state boundaries. And third is that human curiosity and compassion—they actually cross political lines.”
Her conclusion was hopeful: “When it comes to science, when it comes to health, I think diplomacy can actually bridge those barriers and those gaps which otherwise may be created due to whatever geopolitical reason.”
The ethical imperative was clear: “Our responsibility as science communicators becomes to stick to the integrity of evidence. The ethical line is very clear—we must not distort or suppress science for partisan purposes, because the credibility of science is our greatest public good.”
The Partnership Model: From Lab to Society
Concluding her address, Dr. Swaminathan offered a holistic vision of what effective science communication requires. “Ultimately the goal of scientists is of course to produce excellent science, but only when it has some kind of big public impact or a public good, then actually you feel satisfied.”
She acknowledged that not every piece of research will have immediate public impact, “but there are pressing public health challenges, there are pressing issues in society which scientists can solve. I think climate change is also one of them where we need a lot of innovation, we need a lot of interdisciplinary work to address the challenge which is coming.”
The journey from lab to society, she emphasized, “is not a straight road. It is actually a dialogue, it’s a partnership between scientists and citizens, and in between come the science communicators.”
Humility, Curiosity, and Honesty
Dr. Swaminathan’s final prescription centered on virtues often overlooked in discussions of scientific expertise.
“Experts also need to be humble, so humility is very important. We need to listen, we need to constantly be learning and updating ourselves,” she stressed. “The public needs to have curiosity. Similarly, journalists also need to have curiosity. They need to ask the right questions. People need to ask the right questions. They may not get an answer for everything, but unless you ask the questions, this is never going to be addressed.”
Her closing vision synthesized her entire message: “If we listen deeply and we communicate honestly—honesty and transparency are also very important—and anchor science in compassion and local reality… there may be a discovery which happens somewhere else, but how is it relevant for us in our local context… then I think by 2047 India will not only be scientifically advanced but it will also be scientifically trusted.”
A Legacy of Service
Dr. Swaminathan’s address carried particular weight given her lineage—the daughter of M.S. Swaminathan, father of India’s Green Revolution—and her own distinguished career leading global and national health responses during one of history’s most challenging public health crises.
As Principal Advisor to the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme and former Director-General of ICMR, she brought both institutional authority and hard-won wisdom from the COVID-19 frontlines. Her message was clear: building Viksit Bharat requires not just scientific advancement, but a fundamental reimagining of how science communicates with society—through trust, not just data; through stories, not just statistics; through listening, not just broadcasting.
In a world where public trust in science has become fragile despite scientific knowledge being stronger than ever, Dr. Swaminathan’s prescription offers a roadmap: anchor science in compassion and local reality, communicate with honesty and humility, and remember always that human beings don’t live inside spreadsheets—they live in communities built on trust, shaped by stories, and motivated by hope for a better future.
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