ISRO Scientist's Saree From Mars Mission Showcased At US Museum: "One Of India's Rocket Women"

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., has added a saree worn by an Indian space scientist to one of its exhibits, marking a significant recognition of India's achievements in space exploration. The saree, worn by Nandini Harinath during a defining moment of India's Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), is now displayed alongside globally recognised aviation and space exploration artifacts.

The museum described the garment as "a vibrant red and blue sari with intricate patterns" and shared photographs and video footage of the display, featuring a mannequin dressed in the outfit.

"One of India's “Rocket Women,” Nandini Harinath helped her country reach Mars. She wore this saree to work the day the Indian Space Research Organization's spacecraft successfully left Earth's orbit and began its 300-day journey to Mars. As a rocket scientist and the Mars Orbiter Mission's deputy operations director, Harinath was integral to mission planning and operations. Far exceeding its mission of six to 10 months, the spacecraft spent eight years in orbit, documenting Mars' surface and atmosphere," the post was captioned.

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Notably, India's Mars Orbiter Mission successfully entered Mars' orbit in 2014, making India the first Asian nation and the fourth country in the world to reach the Red Planet. The mission also drew global attention for achieving the feat on its very first attempt. Originally designed to last between six and 10 months, the spacecraft continued operating for nearly eight years, far exceeding expectations.

The Smithsonian exhibit has drawn praise online, with many social media users calling the saree's inclusion a powerful symbol of India's scientific progress and the visibility of women in STEM fields.

About Nandini Harinath

Harinath is widely known as one of ISRO's 'rocket women' and played a key role in India's first interplanetary mission. The inclusion of her saree in the Smithsonian exhibit highlights not only India's growing stature in global space research but also the contribution of women scientists to some of the country's most important scientific milestones.

Born and raised in India, Harinath comes from a family rooted in academics and engineering. Her mother worked as a mathematics teacher, while her father was an engineer. Before joining Indian Space Research Organisation, she completed both undergraduate and postgraduate studies in engineering.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, Harinath has contributed to over 14 missions at ISRO. Reflecting on her work in an earlier interview, she said that every mission feels like the most important one while working on it.

She credits Star Trek and Apollo 13 for sparking her interest in space.