| 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. |
| 13. She served as the Deputy Operations Director for Mangalyaan and the Mission Director for Chandrayaan-2. |
| 14. Ritu headed India's Chandrayaan-3 mission, launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota on 14 July 2023. |
| 15. Ritu finished her M.E in 1997 and decided to join the Indian Institute of Science instead of pursuing a PhD. |
| 16. She was a speaker at TEDx Talks discussing India's successful Mars Orbiter Mission launch. |
| 17. She played a key role in conceptualizing and executing the autonomous systems for Mangalyaan's onboard operations. |
| 18. Under her leadership, Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed on the lunar South Pole, making India the first country to achieve this milestone. |
| 19. Ritu Karidhal originates from a middle-class family in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. |
| 20. She completed her M.E in 1997 and decided to join the Indian Institute of Science instead of pursuing a PhD. |
| 21. Under her leadership, Chandrayaan-3 successfully soft-landed on the lunar South Pole on 23 August 2023, making India the first country to achieve this milestone. |
