Proud moment for woman scientist

 It was a moment of triumph for N Valarmathi, the second woman scientist of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to head a prestigious project.

After T K Anuradha, project director of the GSAT-12 mission in 2011, Valarmathi was showered with adulation after the successful ‘PSLV-C19-RISAT-1 Mission.’

“I am very proud and happy after this successful Mission ,” Valarmathi told journalists after the launch. The mission’s success has propelled her into an icon for young women who aspire to make a mark in their respective careers.

In her message to women, the scientist said: “I would say all women are equally capable and they all have very good potential; it should be properly utilized.”

Valarmathi traces her roots to a humble background. A native of rural Ariyalur district in Tamil Nadu, she went to the Nirmala Girls Higher Secondary School before graduating in engineering from the Government College of Technology in Coimbatore .

Valarmathi went on to complete masters in Electronics and Communications from Anna University in Chennai before joining the Isro. In her initial days at the organisation, Valarmathi handled varied responsibilities in projects related to launch of remote sensing satellites. She came up the ladder step by step, from being a project manager to a deputy project director, until she became the project director for the RISAT-1 launch.

Attributing her success to “dedication and hard-work,” Valarmathi thanked her team members who, she said, made this “achievement possible.” “I owe it to the support from people in my office and from my family,” Valarmathi said.

Pvt firm contributes to RISAT 1 project

Hyderabad-based Astra Microwave Products Ltd (AMPL) has made a significant contribution to the Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT) Project by supplying components and sub-systems for the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) payload, reports DHNS from Hyderabad.

The SAR gives the satellite its radar imaging capability and helps in imaging the earth surface in all weather, day and night conditions. The company has supplied critical components and modules including antennas that help to transmit and receive (TR) signals, the TR modules that help in transmitting radio frequency (RF) energy and receiving the reflected energy in order to generate the images, RF power distribution networks, calibration networks, Integration blocks etc.