"ISRO Scientist Lalithambika Receives French Honor for Space Cooperation Achievements"

Renowned Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist V R Lalithambika has been honored with the prestigious French civilian award, the 'Légion d'Honneur,' for her exceptional contributions to space cooperation between France and India. The award ceremony took place in Bengaluru, where the French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, presented Lalithambika with the accolade.

At 60 years old, Lalithambika, who served as the director of the Human Spaceflight Programme at ISRO, played a pivotal role in fostering collaboration between the French National Space Agency CNES and ISRO. Her noteworthy achievements include the signing of the first joint agreement in 2018, focusing on human spaceflight and space medicine cooperation. She also coordinated a significant Indo-French agreement in 2021, whereby the CNES will train India's flight physicians and mission control teams for human spaceflights in France and Germany.

Ambassador Thierry Mathou commended Lalithambika's expertise and tireless efforts, highlighting her as a trailblazer in space technology. This recognition marks her as the second ISRO scientist, following former ISRO chairman A S Kiran Kumar in 2019, to receive the Legion d'Honneur for promoting Indo-French space collaboration.

Expressing her gratitude, Lalithambika hopes that this honor will inspire more women to pursue STEM careers and excel in their chosen fields. The French embassy praised her for promoting inclusivity in the Indian astronaut program by enabling the recruitment of civilians, including women.

The Legion d'Honneur, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, is the highest civilian award presented by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, irrespective of nationality.

Lalithambika, who hails from Kerala, developed her passion for space programs during her childhood, watching sounding rocket launches with her grandfather, a mathematician. She pursued electrical engineering at the College of Engineering, Trivandrum, and later earned an MTech and a PHD in electrical engineering from the University of Kerala. Joining ISRO in 1988, she steadily advanced her career, contributing significantly to autopilot design for various launch vehicles and playing a key role in the development of guidance and autopilot systems.

As the first director of the Human Space Programme Directorate in 2018, Lalithambika played a crucial role in shaping the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program and establishing a dedicated human spaceflight center. Her achievements include designing autopilots for multiple ISRO missions and leading teams in developing guidance and autopilot systems, flight software, and validation for navigation, guidance, and control systems.

Reference:

indianexpress.com

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