NEW DELHI: Felicitating an Isro scientistFrance has conferred its top civilian award on senior space scientist Dr V R Lalithambika for boosting space cooperation between the two countries. French ambassador Thierry Mathou honoured Lalithambika, former director, Directorate of the Human Spaceflight Programme of Isro with Legion of Honor.
A specialist in advanced launch vehicle technology, Lalithambika has worked extensively on various Isro rockets, especially PSLV.
“I am delighted to confer the Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur on Dr V R Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist and a trailblazer in space technology. Her expertise, accomplishments and tireless efforts have scripted a new ambitious chapter in the long history of the Indo-French space partnership,” ambassador Mathou said in a statement. In 2018, as director of the Human Spaceflight Programme, she coordinated closely with the French National Space Agency (CNES) for the Gaganyaan project.
Lalithambika played a key role in the signing of the first joint agreement for cooperation between the Indian space agency and its French counterpart on human spaceflight, under which the two countries could exchange specialists to work on space medicine.
Receiving the award, Lalithambika said: “I sincerely hope that this honour being bestowed on me will spur more and more women to take up STEM careers and to excel in their chosen fields.”
Lalithambika coordinated with CNES for the signing of a second pact between France and India on the Indian astronaut programme during the visit of the former French foreign affairs minister to Isro. As per the pact, CNES would train India’s flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France at the CADMOS centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations at CNES in Toulouse and at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne.
“Dr Lalithambika is an inspiration to the next generation of scientists not only in Toulouse but also in India, where she promoted inclusivity by enabling the recruitment of civilians, including women, to participate in the future of the Indian astronaut programme,” a French Embassy statement read.
A specialist in advanced launch vehicle technology, Lalithambika has worked extensively on various Isro rockets, especially PSLV.
“I am delighted to confer the Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur on Dr V R Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist and a trailblazer in space technology. Her expertise, accomplishments and tireless efforts have scripted a new ambitious chapter in the long history of the Indo-French space partnership,” ambassador Mathou said in a statement. In 2018, as director of the Human Spaceflight Programme, she coordinated closely with the French National Space Agency (CNES) for the Gaganyaan project.
Lalithambika played a key role in the signing of the first joint agreement for cooperation between the Indian space agency and its French counterpart on human spaceflight, under which the two countries could exchange specialists to work on space medicine.
Receiving the award, Lalithambika said: “I sincerely hope that this honour being bestowed on me will spur more and more women to take up STEM careers and to excel in their chosen fields.”
Lalithambika coordinated with CNES for the signing of a second pact between France and India on the Indian astronaut programme during the visit of the former French foreign affairs minister to Isro. As per the pact, CNES would train India’s flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France at the CADMOS centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations at CNES in Toulouse and at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne.
“Dr Lalithambika is an inspiration to the next generation of scientists not only in Toulouse but also in India, where she promoted inclusivity by enabling the recruitment of civilians, including women, to participate in the future of the Indian astronaut programme,” a French Embassy statement read.
