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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.

‘When I won, my mother was working as a labourer’

Ganga Kadam, player of India’s Blind Women’s World Cup team, proves courage overcomes physical barriers


Mumbai: Six months ago, Ganga Kadam had almost given up her dreams of playing for India in the Blind Women’s World Cup. Traumatised by her father’s death in May, Ganga decided to quit cricket and help her mother earn a living for the family.


Thanks to her coach, who persuaded her to continue playing cricket, Ganga abandoned her plans and resolved to fulfil her father’s wish of seeing his daughter playing in Indian colours for the World Cup. She was the only player from Maharashtra selected for the final 17-member Indian World Cup squad.


Today, 26-year-old Ganga is basking in the glory of being a part of the Indian team that created history by winning the first-ever Blind Women’s T20 World Cup. As vice-captain, she played a crucial role in team India’s success with some stand-out all-round performances.


India demonstrated their dominance by winning all the matches before going on to win the title. India won their opening game against Sri Lanka, followed by a 57-run win over Australia. The Women in Blue later defeated arch-rivals Pakistan, chasing down the 136-run target in 10.2 overs. They continued the winning spree by thrashing Australia by nine wickets in the semi-final. In the final held at Colombo’s P Sara Oval on November 23, Indian team defeated Nepal by seven wickets.


Ganga was the cornerstone of several memorable wins in the World Cup. In the opening match against Sri Lanka, she was named Player of the Match for a standout performance that included five run-outs and one wicket. In the semi-final against Australia, she scored a crucial 41 runs, contributing significantly to India’s nine-wicket win. “The World Cup win has given me a new identity and a sense of responsibility,” she told ‘The Perfect Voice’.


Humble Beginnings

Born in a humble farmer’s family in Solapur and visually impaired since childhood, it has been a long journey for Ganga. The physical barriers failed to limit her ambitions. After completing her primary education in Futana village in Kalamnuri taluka of Hingoli district, she went to Solapur for further studies and it was there that her cricketing journey began. Ganga was inspired to play cricket after watching other children at her school, the Bairu Ratan Damani School for the Blind, playing the sport. Under the guidance of coach Raju Shelke, she honed her cricket skills and emerged as a shining name in disabled cricket.


The World Cup win has suddenly catapulted Ganga to a never-seen-before stardom. Following the triumph, she, along with the Indian team, was felicitated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu. Ganga was also honoured by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, her most memorable moment came in a meeting with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who lauded her major contribution to the World Cup semi-final win over Australia, leaving her ‘stunned.’


However, despite all the accolades, it is the concern for livelihood that has left Ganga worried over the future. After father’s demise, the burden of the family has fallen on her shoulders and, in the absence of a good job, it has been a difficult task for her.


Ganga said, “When I won the player of the match award in the first match against Sri Lanka in the World Cup, I was overjoyed and called up my mother to ask whether she watched me playing. But to my great disappointment I found out that she could not as she was away working as a labourer in other’s farms. I want to change this situation by providing my family a decent living.”


According to Ganga, players from other states in the Indian team have received financial rewards and job assurances from their respective state governments; however, no such acknowledgement has yet been received from the Maharashtra government. “During a meeting with him, CM Devendra Fadnavis has assured me to provide financial assistance and suitable job opportunities,” she said.

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