During her academic career, she supervised over 70 Ph.D. students in the areas of cytogenetics, human genetics, and environmental mutagenesis.

Her research and findings on chromosomal study on flowering plants led to a new set of perceptions on their classification.

Sharma also served as chairperson on the Task Force on Integrated Manpower Development of the Department of Biotechnology.

[3] Sharma was actively involved with prominent policy-making bodies, including Science and Engineering Research Council of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India; Environmental Research Council of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India; the Panel for Co-operation with UNESCO, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India; and various technical committees of University Grants Commission, Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Biotechnology.

She published the book Chromosome Techniques - Theory and Practice in 1965 with her husband, fellow professor Arun Kumar Sharma.

[6] Sharma also edited multiple scientific volumes for publishers such as CRC Press, Oxford, IBH, Kluwer Academic (Netherlands), and Gordon and Beach UK.