This is the mom behind mom.

Indian women scientists have contributed significantly to the Indian Space Research Center (ISRO) mission to Mars.

During this campaign, many important responsibilities were carried out by women scientists. While congratulating the scientists, the Prime Minister also called the Mars Orbiter mission ‘mom’ in the context of motherhood.

Ankur Jain spoke with Meenal Sampat, the project manager of the satellite-related department of this campaign.

Question: How important has this mission to Mars been for ISRO?

Menal Sampat: We have taken the challenge of going to Mars to see how capable we will be of doing it and controlling the satellite. Getting to Mars has been very important to us. In this mission, we have done our best to take care of even the smallest things.

Q: What was your role during this campaign and how do you see it?

Menal Sampat: I’m the project manager for a special camera system here. My job is to build the satellite payload and test it by assembling its individual parts. In this, there is responsibility from doing it to installing the satellite in its orbit. As far as the mission to Mars is concerned, the journey has only just begun. Much remains to be done ahead.

Question: What was the involvement of women scientists in the Mars Mission?

Menal Sampat: The entire Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) unit has also been called ‘Mama’ by the Prime Minister. In this unit, between 150 and 200 women scientists have assumed important responsibilities by advancing on many fronts.

Question: What message does the success of the mission send to other women in the country?

Menal Sampat: I think that this is the message that the women of the country who are capable and willing to do a lot can contribute to the country. She has a lot of strength and she needs to know that she can do something too. The message of the success of the Mars mission is clear to the women who go ahead and contribute to building the nation together with their families. We know we’ve done this too many times. The contribution of women in building India has been important since the time of Rani Lakshmibai.