It was around half past two in the afternoon when everyone’s eyes were glued to the TV in Rajajipuram Mohalla. As soon as the news of Chandrayaan-3’s launch came, there was no lack of joy at Rohit Karidhal’s house in E-Block. He treated his friends and neighbours to sweets and exclaimed, “Sister has done wonders.”
Ritu Karidhal, the Mission Director of Chandrayaan-3, had spent her childhood in this neighbourhood. Ritu had completed her early education at Saint Anjaneys Public School in Rajajipuram. In late January, while talking to the school’s manager, Taru Saxena, Ritu looked at the sky through a video call from her assembly. Taru Saxena recalls that Ritu had mentioned that she still sees the same sky from school in her dreams.
The Karidhal family resides at E-1246 in Rajajipuram. Ritu’s siblings, family friends, and relatives were present at home. They were eagerly awaiting this Friday because Ritu Karidhal had been entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring a soft landing. As soon as Chandrayaan-3 was launched around 2:30 p.m., the sound of applause filled their home. Subsequently, Ritu’s younger brother Rohit Karidhal and family friend Anoop Mani Tripathi and his wife shared sweets with each other.
After studying at Rajajipuram until the eighth grade, Ritu pursued her studies in the 12th grade at Navayug Inter College in Rajendra Nagar. Her math teacher, Indu, mentions that she wasn’t a topper but had good study habits. Former principal Pushplata Yadav says that Ritu studied here from 1988 to 1991. She had a particular interest in science competitions. She excelled in mathematics and science. After graduating from Lucknow University, Ritu pursued her master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. After obtaining a degree in aerospace, Ritu, a mother of two, joined ISRO and became part of the Chandrayaan launch team.