Nigar Shaji’s Inspirational Journey from a Farmer’s Daughter to the Woman Behind India’s Aditya-L1 Solar Mission; Watch her address

The Aditya-L1 Solar Mission achieved a successful launch under the guidance of Nigar Shaji, a distinguished woman scientist born in Sengottai, Tamil Nadu.

#WATCH | On the successful launch of Aditya L-1, Project Director of Aditya L-1, Nigar Shaji says, "This is like a dream come true. I am extremely happy that Aditya L-1 has been injected by PSLV. Aditya L-1 has started its 125 days of long journey. Once Aditya L-1 is… pic.twitter.com/zs1avDJ9ba

— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2023

Nigar Shaji, a 59-year-old scientist from Tenkasi district in Tamil Nadu, was born in Sengottai town to Sheikh Meeran, a farmer, and Zaitoon Biwi, a homemaker. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in electronics and communication engineering from Tirunelveli government engineering college and pursued a Masters in electronics and communications at Birla Institute of Technology in Ranchi.

Shaji began her career at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in 1987 and later held various significant roles at the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. She eventually became the project director of Aditya-L1 and also headed the Satellite telemetry centre at ISRO, Bengaluru.

Currently, Shaji resides in Bengaluru with her mother and daughter. Her husband works as an engineer in the Middle East, while her son is a scientist in the Netherlands.

Before her role as the project director for Aditya-L1, Shaji served as the associate project director for the Indian remote sensing satellite “Resourcesat-2A,” a critical asset for national resource monitoring and management.

Shaji’s journey into space exploration began in 1987 when she joined the Satish Dhawan Space Center, eventually becoming the project director for Aditya-L1. Prior to this role, she contributed significantly to Indian remote sensing, communication, and interplanetary satellites. Notably, she played a crucial role in Resourcesat-2A and conducted research in image compression, system engineering, and space internet technologies.

Shaji’s leadership in the Aditya-L1 project is a pinnacle in her remarkable career, and her words emphasize the favorable environment for women at ISRO, where recognition is based on merit and abilities rather than gender, inspiring others to pursue their dreams with confidence.