5 Things to Know About Ritu Karidhal, India's 'rocket Woman'

Ritu Karidhal Shrivastava is a distinguished Indian scientist and aerospace engineer known for steering India's lunar mission, the Chandrayaan-3. Known as the 'Rocket Woman of India,' Ritu Karidhal has spearheaded several space missions, including Chandrayaan-2, Mangalyaan, and India's Mars Orbiter Mission.

In 1997, Ritu Karidhal Shrivastava joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). She worked as deputy operations director for the Mangal Mission, where her responsibilities included the design and execution of the craft's autonomous system for India's Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan.

Ritu Karidhal Shrivastava earned the title of the 'Rocket Woman of India' through her unwavering determination and successful leadership in missions such as Mangalyaan. Her contributions have been instrumental in advancing India's prowess in space exploration.

Ritu Karidhal Shrivastava's outstanding contributions have garnered widespread recognition. She was honoured with the ISRO Young Scientist Award by the former Indian president, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.

B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Lucknow, she continued her academic journey by completing an M.Sc. in Physics at the same university. Subsequently, she pursued a doctorate in the Physics Department. She furthered her education at IISc, Bangalore, specializing in aerospace engineering for her master's degree.