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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

India’s Rocket Woman

Chandrayaan-3 Mission Director Dr Ritu Karidhal Srivastava helped script a historic chapter in India’s space story. On August 23, 2023, as the clock struck 6:04 PM Indian time, waves of joy swept across India and the world when Chandrayaan-3's robotic lander Vikram touched down on the Moon's south pole. This triumph made India the first nation to land a spacecraft there and the fourth overall to reach the lunar surface. Behind this moment stood the dedication of scientists like Dr Ritu...

India’s Rocket Woman

Chandrayaan-3 Mission Director Dr Ritu Karidhal Srivastava helped script a historic chapter in India’s space story. On August 23, 2023, as the clock struck 6:04 PM Indian time, waves of joy swept across India and the world when Chandrayaan-3's robotic lander Vikram touched down on the Moon's south pole. This triumph made India the first nation to land a spacecraft there and the fourth overall to reach the lunar surface. Behind this moment stood the dedication of scientists like Dr Ritu Karidhal Srivastava, Chandrayaan-3’s mission director, affectionately known as India’s “Rocket Woman.” For millions watching, it was a moment of national pride; for the scientists behind the mission, the culmination of years of painstaking work and belief in India’s space ambitions. Dr Srivastava often placed professional commitments ahead of personal comforts, pouring her energy into India’s stellar legacy. Whether spearheading Chandrayaan-3, leading key aspects of Chandrayaan-2, or contributing to the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), she devoted herself to advancing India’s space programme. “From Mangalyaan to Chandrayaan, women have matched men stride for stride,” she has said, reflecting the growing presence of women scientists in India’s space missions. Over the years, women have moved from supporting roles to positions of leadership within ISRO, bringing expertise and determination to some of the nation’s most ambitious projects. Journey to the Stars Born in 1975 into a middle-class family in Lucknow, young Ritu was fascinated by the moon, stars and vast skies above. Her curiosity deepened during her school years, when she spent hours reading about space and imagining the mysteries beyond Earth. After earning her degree from Navayug Kanya Mahavidyalaya, she completed her MSc in physics in Lucknow before moving to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru to specialise in aerospace engineering. This path led her to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which she joined in 1997. At ISRO, she steadily rose through the ranks, earning recognition for meticulous planning and technical expertise. She served as Deputy Operations Director for the Mars Orbiter Mission, popularly known as Mangalyaan — India’s first mission to Mars, which succeeded on its first attempt and placed the country firmly on the global space map. Personal Sacrifices Her work’s success roared loudly. The ISRO Young Scientist Award from President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in 2007 and the Woman Aerospace Achievement Award from the Society of Indian Aerospace Technologies and Industries recognised her contributions to the nation’s space programme. Yet for years she worked largely away from the public spotlight, focused on the demands of complex missions. In a candid moment, Dr Srivastava spoke about balancing professional duty and family life. There were times when mission preparation meant missing important family moments. Once, when her daughter was running a fever, she could not leave work; her husband stepped in while she checked repeatedly by phone. School events and parent-teacher meetings often passed without her presence. Yet with strong support from her husband and family, she remained committed to the demanding world of space exploration. That collective resolve — from Dr Srivastava and her team — ultimately propelled India to new cosmic heights. Vikram’s flawless landing at the Moon’s south pole marked a technological triumph and firmly placed India among the world’s leading spacefaring nations.

Indian-origin college student from US dies in Bahamas

  • PTI
  • May 14, 2025
  • 2 min read


NEW YORK: An Indian-origin college student from the US died in the Bahamas after accidentally falling from a hotel balcony just days before he was set to graduate.


Gaurav Jaisingh was a student at Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts and was in the Bahamas for an annual senior class trip when he died in the accident on Sunday.


Jaisingh was set to graduate later this week.


Bentley University said in a post on X that it's been a difficult few days and our community is feeling the emotional toll of the tragic loss of Gaurav Jaisingh '25.


Our hearts go out to Gaurav's family and friends.


We plan to honour Gaurav at the undergraduate commencement ceremony, scheduled for May 17.


According to a report in ABC News, Bentley University said in a statement that we share our deepest condolences with Gaurav's family, friends and loved ones.


While local authorities are investigating, it appears Gaurav accidentally fell from a balcony.


We will share more information when available while respecting his family's privacy.


This is an enormous tragedy for our community.


Bentley is providing resources for those who are impacted and encourages anyone who needs support to reach out to the university's counseling center, it added.


The ABC News report said that Jaisingh was a native of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts and was a member of Delta Sigma Pi fraternity as well as the school's South Asian Students Association.


The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that on May 11, police launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of an adult male on Paradise Island.


According to initial reports, the police said that sometime around 10 pm, the victim was inside his hotel room with other roommates when it is reported that he accidentally fell from an upper-level balcony.


He was later found unresponsive on a lower floor.


Police said emergency medical services responded and transported him to the hospital but he succumbed while enroute.


Police said investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

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