Ritu Karidhal, a prominent figure in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has played a pivotal role in several landmark missions. Her contributions have earned her national and international recognition, making her an inspiration for aspiring scientists.

Wiki/Biography

Born on April 13th in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Ritu Karidhal received her early education at St. Anjani’s Public School and Navyug Kanya Vidyalaya. She pursued her B.Sc. from Mahila Vidyalaya PG College and her M.Sc. in Physics from Lucknow University. Her academic journey was marked by a keen interest in physics, leading her to pursue a Ph.D. while simultaneously preparing for the GATE examination.

During her doctoral studies, she also worked part-time as a lecturer at Lucknow University and even published a research paper within the first six months. The GATE results presented a pivotal moment: acceptance into the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, for an M.Tech in Aeroscience Engineering. After thoughtful consideration and advice from her professor, she chose this path, recognizing the unique opportunity.

Physical Appearance

• Height (approx.): 5’6″
• Weight (approx.): 60 kg
• Eye Colour: Black
• Hair Colour: Dark Brown

Family & Husband

Hailing from a middle-class Lucknow family, Ritu faced the loss of her parents while still in college. She took on the responsibility of caring for her two younger brothers, Rohit and Shubham Karidhal, and her younger sister, Varsha Lal. She is married to Avinash Srivastava and they have two children, Anisha and Aditya.

Career

While pursuing her M.Tech, Ritu diligently scanned newspapers for ISRO job openings. Her persistence paid off, and after completing her M.Tech, she received a call from ISRO and was selected. Her initial posting was at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC).

From the start, she was entrusted with challenging assignments, even surpassing senior scientists in meeting strict deadlines. This experience instilled in her the confidence to tackle ambitious projects. Her involvement in Mangalyaan-1 was particularly significant, where she was responsible for the conceptualization and execution of the spacecraft’s autonomous system, its “brain”. This system was crucial for the satellite’s independent operation, including detachment procedures and malfunction recovery in the harsh environment of space.

The lead-up to the Mangalyaan-1 launch was incredibly demanding. Ritu juggled her professional responsibilities with her family life, often working late into the night after completing household chores and helping her children with their homework. Her dedication and commitment were instrumental to the mission’s success.

Ritu’s career highlights also include her roles as Deputy Mission Director for Mangalyaan-1 and Mission Director for Chandrayaan-2, a mission that made history as the first to be headed by a woman.

Honours, Awards, and Achievements

Ritu’s exceptional contributions have been widely recognized through numerous awards and accolades:

• Young Scientist Award by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (2007)
• ISRO Team Award for the Mars Orbiter Mission (2015)
• ASI Team Award
• “Woman Achievers in Aerospace” Award by SIATI (2017)
• “Birla Sun Achievement” Award by the Bank of Baroda

Facts

Ritu’s passion for mathematics was evident from a young age; she even wrote poems about mathematics during her school days. Her TEDx talk in Hyderabad (2019) showcased her achievements and inspired many. She advocates for greater female participation in space science and STEM fields.

Additional Information