| 1. Ritu Karidhal, an ISRO scientist, originates from a middle-class family in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. |
| 2. She served as the Deputy Mission Director for Mangalyaan-1 and the Mission Director for Chandrayaan-2. |
| 3. Ritu also headed India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota on 14 July 2023. |
| 4. During her school days, Ritu spent time on her terrace studying space books or gazing at the sky and stars. |
| 5. She had a passion for mathematics as a student and often penned math-related poems. |
| 6. As a teenager, she kept track of ISRO and NASA updates in the newspapers. |
| 7. Ritu finished her M.Sc in 1997 and decided to join the Indian Institute of Science instead of pursuing a PhD. |
| 8. Although working as a part-time lecturer, she applied to ISRO and got selected. |
| 9. Her exceptional qualifications and performance led to her involvement in advanced projects at ISRO. |
| 10. Despite a hectic schedule during the Mars Orbiter Mission launch, Ritu balanced work and family commitments. |
| 11. Ritu advocates for greater female participation in space sciences. |
| 12. She was a speaker at TEDx Talks in Hyderabad discussing India's successful Mars Orbiter Mission launch. |
