The success of India's space missions is a testament to the efforts of numerous unsung heroes, with women playing a significant role. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has seen women contributing across various crucial areas, including mission planning, project management, and technical research. These women, with their hard work, talent, and dedication, have helped elevate India’s space program to new heights.
Unlike no other force has ever
been able to, science has completely changed societies. contemporary technology
could not have existed without science, and contemporary civilization could not
have existed without modern technology. The fact that the societies that
adopted science at an early age have advanced much beyond other societies is
evidence of the transitional capacities of science. The effect of this is that
the world is now divided into developed, developing, and underdeveloped
regions. The engagement of all societal segments in scientific and technical
pursuits is essential for society to effectively utilize science for its
advantage. More than half of all people on Earth are women. Their advancement
of science has a major impact on the country's overall progress.
Science has no gender. The list of accomplished women who have made significant contributions to scientific invention and technological innovation is long and includes many remarkable feats. Nonetheless, taking into account the Indian context, women's involvement in scientific pursuits was minimal until quite recently. The majority of the specialized institutes and research labs were dominated by men. Indian space exploration was not an anomaly. When the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was founded, there were no female scientists employed on any of its projects.
However, the current situation is quite positive. There have been some encouraging outcomes from the steady increase in the percentage of women who are literate and who enroll in higher science education. Several female scientists and administrators have contributed to India's current space research program, enabling it to reach new and impressive heights in space exploration. This essay aims to evaluate general patterns of women's involvement in space exploration as well as showcase the accomplishments of a few notable female leaders in India's space program.
We can now confidently declare that women are also from Mars, thus whoever declared that "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus" would have to think again!
Indian women are truly yearning for the stars these days. India is currently at
a point in history where women are acknowledged globally in almost every
industry. Indian women are high achievers everywhere; they have contributed
significantly to India's struggle for independence, assumed culinary roles
outside of the home kitchen as chefs, and excelled in every field, whether they
were driving female rickshaws or traveling through space as astronauts.
India is becoming a place where women can dream of equal chances free from gender-based discrimination as the glass ceiling has been gradually crumbling away piece by piece.
In previously male-dominated fields, women have unquestionably made
"space" for themselves and battled against societal preconceptions
for generations. These days, women are celebrated globally for leaving an
enduring impression on the aerospace industry.
The Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) was established in 1969 to advance planetary exploration
and space science research while utilizing space technology for national
development. The organization employs a large number of female executives in
the space industry who work in design and development. India's space mission
was led in 2014 by ISRO's female scientists. The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)
provided women with a platform to demonstrate their abilities. One of the most
accurate and affordable space missions in history was completed with the help
of several female scientists who worked on the project and successfully
launched a satellite into orbit around Mars.
Now ISRO is planning to send a woman astronaut in its Gaganyaan mission. However, a few Indian-born astronauts have visited space, including Kalpana Chawla, Sunita Williams, and Sirisha Bandla. The first woman of Indian descent to travel in space was Kalpana Chawla. In 1997 and 2003, she made two flights on the Space Shuttle Columbia as an astronaut. Though she tragically perished in the 2003 Columbia accident, her accomplishments still serve as an inspiration to Indian aspirants to become astronauts.
However, a large number of
Indian women have made significant contributions to the accomplishment of
ISRO's many space programs. The Nigar Shaji is the Project Director of India's
mission to the Sun, the Aditya-L1 mission. Additionally, women scientists were
instrumental in our lunar mission.
Women Scientists' Engagement in Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan
The contributions of female scientists to projects like Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan-1 are noteworthy. Ritu Karidhal, the project director of the Mars Orbiter expedition, popularly known as Mangalyaan, and Nandini Harinath, the deputy operations director, made significant contributions to the expedition. These ladies were crucial to the accomplishment of India's first mission to reach Mars' orbit. In a similar vein, other women scientists played significant roles in the Chandrayaan-2 project, demonstrating their knowledge and initiative.
Senior scientist and aerospace engineer Ritu Karidhal has participated in numerous significant space missions, such as Chandrayaan-2, where she served as project director, and the "Mangalyaan" Mars orbiter mission. Karidhal, who is referred to as the "rocket woman" of India, was also honored with an ISRO Young Scientist Award.
Nidhi Porwal, another female scientist, has been putting in a lot of overtime over the past four years to make sure the Chandrayaan-3 mission is successful.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) takes great pleasure in its pool
of very talented and accomplished female scientists. Anuradha TK, who began
working with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in 1982,
accomplished a noteworthy first by being the first female director of a
satellite project. The concerned party was instrumental in the successful
launch of three communication satellites, namely GSAT-19, GSAT-17, and GSAT-18.
Vanitha Muthayya became the chief investigator of the Chandrayaan-2 program, a lunar exploration project beset by difficulties in its descent stage. She also took on the job of deputy project director for more satellites, such as Megha-Tropiques, Cartosat-1, and Oceansat-2, and she was an integral part of the Mangalyaan mission team.
Over her twenty years with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), veteran aerospace engineer Nandini Harinath has contributed significantly to over fourteen space missions. The year 2014 saw her take on the role of deputy operations director for the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), an endeavour that successfully brought a spacecraft into Mars' orbit. Physicist Moumita Dutta has worked on projects including HySat and Chandrayaan-1 and was a key member of the Mars Orbiter Mission team. Lalithambika, the head of the Indian Human Spaceflight Program (Gaganyaan), has lent her experience to more than a hundred ISRO missions.
These strong, resilient women who have successfully balanced their personal and professional lives have received praise from all around the world.
Despite their remarkable achievements, these women have faced numerous challenges. In a society where traditional views on gender roles still prevail and gender inequality remains an issue, these women have carved out a unique place for themselves in the fields of science and technology. Their journey serves as an inspiration for the younger generation of girls, encouraging them to pursue careers in science and space exploration.
Despite all the odds, the majority of them succeeded because of their dedication and desire. The duties of a life devoted to science were merely supplemented by those of a wife, mother, and daughter. These ladies have shown that they are capable of anything, whether it is preparing meals for a large family at five in the morning or sending a satellite into orbit.
It might be challenging for many highly qualified women to break free from perceived familial and social conventions. Many men still today won't let their spouses work in certain fields, including academia or research. The scientific productivity of Indian science is being negatively impacted by this. Women in science shouldn't be granted any extra rights; instead, their achievements ought to be recognized on an equal footing with those of males.
Considering their unwavering dedication to research and the advancement of our country, very few women are acknowledged during ISRO press conferences, regardless of their achievements or shortcomings. Women have been dominating senior roles in higher education institutions and national institutes in recent years. Nevertheless, more work has to be done to boost female enrolment in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs.
It is a natural norm that only females can give birth to future generations. Humanity's future lies in space technology, so let's hope that soon a woman will be in charge of space research and missions. Breaking all stereotypes, these amazing women now aim to explore the whole cosmic neighbourhood in the future.
Wishing on stars is never enough; you also need to reach for them and have the
guts to look up from the ground to accomplish this.
The role of women in the Indian space mission is
not just supportive but central, as they step into leadership positions and
drive the missions forward. Their hard work, dedication, and excellence have
propelled India's space program to the forefront of global space research. The
success of India's space missions is a testament to the indomitable spirit and
perseverance of these women, whose contributions will be remembered and honored
for years to come.