Rocket Woman Dr Ritu Karidhal

Rocket Woman - Dr. Ritu Karidhal : 

Dr. Ritu Karidhal is an accomplished Indian scientist and aerospace engineer who played a significant role in India's Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan) in 2014. She is often referred to as the "Rocket Woman of India" due to her exceptional contributions to the mission's success. She was the Mission Director of Chandrayaan -2.  

The mission Chandrayaan - 3 the nation's ambitious lunar space project, which was launched on Friday 14th July 2023 at 2:35 p.m also lead by Dr. Ritu Karidhal, one of the senior scientist woman of India. 

Qualifications :

Dr. Ritu Karidhal was born on April 13, 1975, in Lucknow, India. She holds a bachelor's degree in Physics from Lucknow University and later pursued a Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore.

Achievements :

The Mars Orbiter Mission, launched in 24 September 2014, was India's first interplanetary mission and aimed to explore Mars' surface and atmosphere. Dr. Ritu Karidhal played a crucial role as the Deputy Operations Director and Mission Director for this ambitious project. She was responsible for overseeing mission planning, execution, and communication during the spacecraft's journey to Mars.

The Mars Orbiter Mission was a remarkable achievement for India, making it the first Asian nation to reach Martian orbit and the fourth space agency globally to do so. Dr. Ritu Karidhal's work and leadership were pivotal in the mission's success and brought her widespread recognition and accolades.

Awards :

Her involvement in space exploration began in earnest when she joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1997. Dr. Karidhal worked on various aspects of space missions, particularly in the field of trajectory design and navigation. Her expertise in the domain earned her a reputation as a talented and dedicated scientist. She has won number of awards for her efforts, including the Women Achievers in Aerospace Award in 2017, the ISRO team award for MOM in 2015, and the ISRO young scientist Award in 2007 from former president of India, APJ Abdul Kalam.