Meet ISRO’s first woman scientist to spend over a year in Antarctica

Mangala Mani, ISRO’s (Indian Space Research Organisation) first woman scientist has spent nearly a year in Antarctica, at the age of 56, and having no prior experience of being in snow. Mani was part of a 23-member expedition team that went to India’s research station, Bharati, in the coldest continent in November 2016.

She was the only woman in the all-men team to spend 403 days on the icy continent. Speaking to TOI, Mani said, “The Antarctica mission was really a challenge. Climate there was very harsh. We were very careful while going out of our climate-controlled research station. One had to wear polar clothing. Even 2 or 3 hours out in severe cold was too much and one had to come back immediately for warm-up.”

Mani praised her team-members for their co-operation and understanding towards her during the mission, and they even celebrated her birthday at the station. Besides being the only woman in the Indian expedition team, Mani was the only woman in the zone as the Russian and Chinese teams did not have any woman in their stations during that period.

A report by TOI said that in order to be chosen for the assignment, Mangala Mani and her team had to endure challenging physical tests and psychometrics for weeks. She had to first undergo a series of medical check-ups at AIIMS, Delhi, for a week which also included psychological assessment for long-term wintering. Post completion of these tests, she was taken to Auli in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district at 9,000 feet altitude for ice acclimatisation and later to Badrinath at 10,000 feet. There, she and her team had to go on long treks with heavy backpacks in order to test their physical endurance. Mani said, “The tests were meant not only to prepare our bodies to face the rigours of Antarctica but also meant to build a team spirit.”

NRSC director Dr Y V N Krishnamurthy said, “Mani always had a dream for exploration. It was an opportunity for her to prove her point. And she successfully performed the task. In fact, two parliamentary committees were highly impressed with her performance in Antarctica.”

Inspired by Mani, a young woman scientist at ISRO volunteered to be a part of the Antarctica mission and is currently camping at Bharati