KOCHI: As ISRO charted history with back-to-back successes in the past years, several myths came down tumbling. It opened up the Indian psyche to space as an ‘attainable’ territory. Then, it exemplified that science was no male bastion. Women, too, could rise and shine.
Of late, we have heard of how India’s space missions have been bolstered by an army of unassuming women, clad in normal wear. The silent types, but with an air of confidence and erudition that comes from self-awareness and hard work.
Many proclaimed that the Indian woman had finally arrived in the science and space spheres. India, in fact, celebrated her during the Republic Day parade, with an ISRO tableau led by eight women scientists.
Well, let’s rewind a bit. A look into the evolution of space science in India and, more importantly, the growth of ISRO reveals that women had arrived long ago on India’s space scene. It is only now that their toil is being celebrated.
As the world marks Women’s Day, TNIE speaks to some of these women who represent the ISRO ‘Nari Shakti’ right from its inception in the 1960s.
Through this representative bunch, we seek to celebrate all women who were the torchbearers of India’s space programme even while they juggled traditional ‘female’ roles, and battled the odds of the times.
All of them are retired now. Back home to be mothers and grandmothers. They, however, cherish fond memories of their heydays. The days when they laid the foundational bricks for India’s space glory.
Their hearts, they say, still race when they hear on TV the countdown that precedes each of ISRO’s ambitious launches.
Lalitha Ramachandran was just 22 when she joined the Space Science and Technology Centre – Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) was earlier known – as a technical assistant in 1969.
She could, perhaps, be described as the first female Malayali chemical engineer ISRO recruited.
“Those days, very few women took up chemical engineering,” recalls Lalitha, who retired as associate project director of the Cryogenic Upper Stage Project at Valiamala in Thiruvananthapuram. “I passed out from Government Engineering College, Thrissur, and applied for the vacancy in ISRO.”
There were hardly any women in her team. “It was a nascent stage. Buildings were just coming up on the Thumba campus,” she says. “We initially worked in a church near the centre, where partitions were made for different units.”
The work culture was all about effort and merit. “We grew with the organisation,” says Lalitha, who also bagged the NRDC-National Meritorious Invention Award for her work on setting up building block systems for a solid propellant project.
“It was a developmental phase. There were no great facilities, but there was guidance from legends such as Vikram Sarabhai, who used to individually focus on our work. ISRO also facilitated coordination with research institutions such as IISc and Anna University for better technology development.”
No mobile, no internet
J Geetha, who joined ISRO in 1972 after a stint at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, is pleasantly surprised that TNIE is reaching out to her gang.
During those days, she says, data gathering was a major challenge scientists faced. “Now, everything comes to you in a click,” Geetha smiles.
“For research and reference, we would go to the library. We would sit there after work hours, and study topics we were working on. We did extensive reading, studying and documenting.”
In several ways, Geetha shares, the mentoring by stalwarts such as Satish Dhawan and his protege Vasant R Gowarikar made up for the dearth of research material those days.
“They were trained in institutes of global repute and well-versed in the subjects they were working on. Add their visionary zeal, and we got the best grooming one could,” she says.
Radhika Ramachandran, who joined ISRO in 1984 after her post-graduation from Kerala University, will vouch for the tradition. The mentoring also extended to open discussions during review meetings and deliberations on projects, she says.
“Detailed reviews preceded and followed every project,” Radhika recalls. “During that time, anyone can speak up – even the newbie. Open discussions were encouraged, and valid suggestions were accepted. The Sarabhai tradition of a work culture where the management structure is horizontal, rather than vertical, was followed even after his passing away by leaders such as Dhawan, Gowarikar, and U R Rao. I believe the same continues even today.”
Speaking of current times, Radhika adds that she had applied for a job that included “night work” back then. “Hence, it was doubtful if women would be considered. But when the selection list came, all those selected were women,” she smiles.
“I could grow from there to be a technical liaison officer in the ISRO office in New Delhi, and also at the Indian embassy in Paris. Later, I became the director of the Space Physics Laboratory. Merit mattered – and will matter – the most at ISRO.”
Juggling roles
T S Ramadevi, who retired in 2010 as deputy director of management systems, echoes similar views. “I joined in 1970, after completing my BTech from CET, Thiruvananthapuram. There were just about 10 per cent women in the scientific workforce of ISRO then,” she recalls.
“I was in the communications unit that dealt with high-frequency transmissions. From there, I saw the growth of the sector to very high frequency to microwave and now digital...”
She was also part of the team that prepared the preliminary report for the formation of the Indian Institute of Space Science Technology to train future space scientists.
“I used to speak my mind at work,” she says. “There was value for merit. We were not in the limelight much partly because we were part of the development team.”
Gaganyaan launch
Athula Devi, who joined in 1987 and retired in January this year, also gets emotional as she speaks about the backroom ‘development team’. She proudly reveals that she was part of the team that developed the base software systems for the Gaganyaan launch.
The growth of ISRO was a cathartic process that came about through failures, trials, and errors, she adds. “In many ways, the ASLV D1 and D2 failures could be said to be the reason for ISRO’s successes. The minor bug that caused the PSLV D1 failure also made us sit up and review the software part,” says Athula.
“Until then, the focus was primarily on the hardware. From then on, ISRO never looked back. We made, tested, made again, tested again, and grew in the process.”
The scientists say there is also a sense of “detached attachment” that they practised as a work culture. “The project was more important than us,” says Athula.
“Sarabhai’s legacy was to groom our next-in-line, so that the project would go on even if we were not there. That way, the system takes care of the work. Every effort was and, I am sure, is a team effort.”
The times now have changed, and the situations are easier for women. The workforce has grown to almost 25 per cent of the total scientist strength. “We are waiting for the day when ISRO would get its first woman chairperson,” the women say.
Finally, back home after their stellar stints, these sheroes express deep gratitude and pride for being part of something monumental. One common word repeatedly uttered by all of them was “passion”.
And they are glad to be informed that they continue to inspire. Some like Radhika have served as faculty at IIST. Others, like Lalitha, have been passing on the passion in a different way. Her grandson is currently studying aerospace engineering at the Imperial College of London. He wants to be a ‘rocket scientist’ like his grandmother.