Saree worn by India's Rocket Woman Nandini Harinath displayed at US Space Museum
The saree now featured at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in the United States is weaved with thousands of stories, echoing the message of Indian space legacy to the globe. The vibrant red and blue silk saree is the symbol of India’s incredible success in the Mars Mission and resonates the stellar capabilities of the women scientists of the country, who were the brains of Mangalyan. The saree picturises courage, knowledge and sacrifice of the Indian woman scientists who strived day and night for the success of the mars mission.
The saree now displayed at the US Space Museum was worn by India’s rocket woman Nandini Harinath who was a key pillar in the Mars Mission as Deputy Operations Director for Mangalyan. She wore the silk saree to the ISRO control room on the “single most critical day” of the project, which was to propel the spacecraft out of the earth’s orbit and channelise it successfully for a 300 day journey towards Mars orbit.
To this critical and big day at work, scientist Nandini Harinath decided to wear a red and blue silk saree gifted by her father. To successfully pull off big and critical days at work, she predominantly prefers to wear sarees especially gifted by her father. “It was a do-or-die moment, the most critical operation in the mission. We had to decide where the spacecraft goes, how it goes and when it goes.
The success of the mission depended on what we did that day”, said Nandini Harinath during an interview. And for this pivotal day, she decided to wear a saree that today at the US Museum resonates with thousands of memories, struggles and stories about Indian space power. The saree also debunks the stereotype that the Indian space sector is dominated by male scientists and proves how Indian space is powered by female scientists.
Math Shindell, Space History curator at Smithsonian Museum in the United States said to a private media platform that the saree would tell a great story, the story of these “Rocket Women” who were at the forefront and centre of this important mission. In 2020, Math Shindell reached out to Nandini Harinath via email and began discussing what object could be displayed in the museum so that it best represents India’s stellar achievement in the Mars mission.
After deliberation, both agreed that the saree worn by Nandini harinath in the ISRO control room on the day the spacecraft left the earth’s orbit and began its journey towards Mars could best represent India’s space legacy. Thus, the saree reached the US museum. Nandini Harinath’s saree is a symbol of motivation for people who aspire to go to space. It represents her courage, sacrifice and success in the space mission. It is a symbol of inspiration for thousands of women who aspire to pursue careers in science, emphasized Math Shindell adding that saree is also a national pride of India and entails cultural value.
The saree is displayed at the “Futures in Space” gallery of the US Smithsonian Space Museum. Every week, tens of thousands of people and space enthusiasts visit the museum. They now can witness the remarkable achievements of India in the space domain and the unparalleled potential of the Indian women scientists who act as engines of India’s scientific growth along with embracing the cultural roots.
