Ritu Karidhal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dr. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava
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Ritu Karidhal at ISRO after Chandrayan mission
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| Born | 13 April 1975 Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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| Alma mater | University of Lucknow Indian Institute of Science |
| Occupation | Scientist |
| Years active | 1997–present |
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Works
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Mars Orbiter Mission, Chandrayaan-2, Chandrayaan-3 |
| Spouse(s) | Avinash Srivastava |
| Children | Aditya, Anisha |
| Awards | ISRO Young Scientist Award |
Dr. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava is a brilliant Indian scientist and aerospace engineer. She works at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). She played a very important role in India's mission to Mars, called Mangalyaan. She was a Deputy Operations Director for this mission. Her amazing work on the Mangalyaan mission even inspired a Bollywood movie, Mission Mangal. In the movie, actress Vidya Balan played her role.
Contents
Early Life and Dreams of Space
Ritu Karidhal was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She grew up in a family that believed strongly in education. From a young age, she was fascinated by outer space. She would spend hours looking at the night sky. She wondered about the moon, how it changed shape, and what lay beyond the stars.
How Her Interest Grew
As a teenager, Ritu started collecting newspaper articles about space. She kept track of everything happening at ISRO and NASA. Even without many resources, her passion for space science kept her motivated.
Her Education Journey
Ritu studied Physics at the University of Lucknow. She earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees there. She even taught in the Physics Department for a while. Later, she went to the IISc in Bangalore. There, she studied aerospace engineering, which is about designing and building spacecraft. In 2019, Lucknow University gave her an honorary doctorate degree.
Her Amazing Career at ISRO
Ritu Karidhal joined ISRO in 1997. Since then, she has been a key part of many important space missions.
Leading the Mars Mission
She played a big part in India's Mangalyaan. This mission was a huge success for ISRO. India became the fourth country in the world to reach Mars. Ritu helped design the spacecraft's "onward autonomy system." This system allowed the satellite to work on its own in space. It could even fix problems by itself.
Directing Lunar Missions
Ritu Karidhal also supervised the Chandrayaan-2 mission as its mission director. This mission aimed to land on the Moon. Later, in 2023, she worked on the Chandrayaan-3 mission. This mission successfully landed a spacecraft on the Moon's South Pole. India became the first country to achieve this amazing feat. Ritu's leadership helped India reach this huge success.
Awards and Recognition
Ritu Karidhal has received many awards for her contributions to space science.
Top Honors
In 2007, she received the ISRO Young Scientist Award. This award was given to her by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was the President of India at the time. In January 2024, she also received the UP Gaurav Samman award from the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.
Sharing Her Knowledge
Ritu has also given talks at TED and TEDx events. She shared the story of the successful Mars Orbiter Mission with a wider audience. Her old university, Lucknow University, also honored her with an honorary doctorate.
