Ritu Karidhal

Ritu Karidhal Srivastava is an Indian scientist and aerospace engineer working in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). She was a Deputy Operations Director to India's Mars orbital mission, Mangalyaan. Giving tribute to her excellence in Mangalayaan mission, a Bollywood film Mission Mangal was created where Indian actress Vidya Balan did her role.

Early life and family Karidhal was born in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She grew up in a middle-class family which placed great emphasis on education.She studied in St. Anjani's Public School in Lucknow. In her teens, she started collecting newspaper cuttings about any space-related activity and kept track of the activities of ISRO and NASA.

Karidhal completed her B. Sc. in Physics from University of Lucknow. She Completed her M. Sc. in Physics from University of Lucknow and got enrolled in a doctorate course in the Physics Department. She later taught in the same department. She was a research scholar at Lucknow University for six months. She joined IISc, Bangalore, to pursue masters in aerospace engineering.

She has been conferred honoris causa (an honorary doctorate) D.Sc by Lucknow University during annual convocation 2019.

Career Ritu Karidhal has worked for ISRO since 1997.

When the United Kingdom assumed 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.

Again in 2023, India launched the Chandrayaan-3 mission to land on the lunar South pole and finally India became the first country to soft land on the lunar South pole. Ritu Karidhal too worked for the same mission and led India to this huge success.

Recognition Karidhal received the UP Gaurav Samman award from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on UP Day, 24 January 2024.

Karidhal received the ISRO Young Scientist Award in 2007 from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the president of India.

Karidhal has also presented at TED and TEDx events describing the success of the Mars Orbiter Mission.

Karidhal was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Lucknow University, her alma mater. It was conferred by Governor Anandiben Patel.