The article from The Conversation accurately highlights a prevalent paradox within academia: while research institutions widely recognize and promote the immense value of interdisciplinary scholarship, the prevailing academic structures frequently create significant barriers for researchers who engage in such cross-disciplinary work. This core claim is strongly corroborated by numerous credible sources. Interdisciplinary research is lauded for its ability to tackle complex, real-world problems like climate change and public health crises, foster innovation, provide holistic understanding, and achieve broader societal impact that single disciplines cannot address alone. However, academics pursuing this path often encounter substantial challenges. These include communication barriers between diverse fields, difficulties in securing adequate funding, and a lack of clear evaluation and recognition mechanisms for promotion and tenure in systems designed for specialized, discipline-specific research. Many academic institutions and funding bodies, despite their stated support, still favor traditional research models, making it harder for interdisciplinary researchers to gain recognition, tenure, or funding. The inherent structures of universities, often divided along traditional disciplinary lines, do not always align with the collaborative nature of interdisciplinary work, leading to issues like 'academic tribalism' and a perceived lack of suitable publication outlets. Junior scientists, in particular, face increased scrutiny and difficulty in career progression. This issue is not confined to a single country but is a global phenomenon within higher education. For India, specifically, the challenges of interdisciplinary research are also prominent, including a fragmented research ecosystem, limited R&D funding, weak industry-academia ties, and the need for policy changes to improve the acceptability of such projects and provide better support for young scientists. Overcoming these systemic hurdles is crucial to fully harness the potential of interdisciplinary research to drive innovation and address global challenges effectively.