Bannihatti Parameshwarappa Dakshayani

Bannihatti (BP) Parameshwarappa Dakshayani is the former group director of the Flight Dynamics and Space Navigation groups of the Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre.

Early life and education Dakshayani was born and raised in Bhadravati, Karnataka. She was encouraged to study engineering by her father, but he thought a bachelor's degree would be sufficient. Around 27% of the staff involved with the development and design of satellites were women. After completing an analysis of orbit stability, she identified that a highly eccentric orbit would provide better position accuracy. She won an Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre merit award for her Mars Orbiter Mission. In 2018 she appeared on the BBC World Service show My Indian Life with Kalki Koechlin.