Dr. Ritu Karidhal Srivastava is an Indian scientist working with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) since 1997.
She was the Deputy Operations Director of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan, dealing with the detailing and the execution of the craft’s onward autonomy system.
In this mission her job was to conceptualize and execute the craft’s onward autonomy system, which operated the satellite’s functions independently in space and responded appropriately to malfunctions.
She supervised the Chandrayaan 2 mission as the mission director. She has been referred to as a “Rocket Woman” of India.
When the United Kingdom assumed the presidency of the G7 in 2021, Karidhal was appointed by the country’s Minister for Women and Equalities Liz Truss to a newly formed Gender Equality Advisory Council (GEAC) chaired by Sarah Sands.
Karidhal received the ISRO Young Scientist Award in 2007 from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, then president of India.
