Ritu Karidhal, Indian Scientist

An Indian scientist working with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Ritu Karidhal was a Deputy Operations Director to India’s Mars orbital mission, Mangalyaan. She has been referred to as a “Rocket Woman” of India. She has been working for ISRO since 1997 and played a vital role in the development of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan, dealing with the detailing and the execution of the craft’s onward autonomy system. She supervised the Chandrayaan 2 mission as the mission director. She bagged the ISRO Young Scientist Award in 2007 from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, then president of India. Karidhal has also presented at TED and TEDx events describing the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission.