Feature interview blog post.
Blog post written by Nazia Tabasum A (Author | Blogger)
A few days ago, while I was traveling along with one of my cousins, we two witnessed a woman on the road who was driving an auto. He pointed this out to me in a surprising tone, but I wasn’t surprised.
Although the number of women in driving professions is increasing, society, especially a few men, still views this differently.
This is just an example. There are many other fields, like science, technology, sports, medicine, etc., where women excel to their full potential., but many questions surprisingly arise about how well they manage to thrive in various sectors and why they deserve opportunities and leading positions.
Recently, I got to know one of my school’s (St. Raphael’s) alumni, Mrs.G. Usha, a power system engineer from ISRO, who was a part of the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 projects. She, along with her team of scientists from the Indian Space Research Organization, played a major role in successfully launching the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which made a new history in lunar exploration.
I was overwhelmed and felt grateful when she agreed to share her inspirational thoughts through an interview blog post to encourage women to soar high in their dreams.
Introduction
• Can you introduce yourself and your contribution to the Chandrayaan-3 project ?
I am Usha, from Chennai. I did my schooling at St. Raphael’s Girls Higher Secondary School, Santhome, Chennai. I pursued my graduation, B.Sc. Honors in Physics, at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur campus, Andhra Pradesh. Later, I completed my post-graduation M.Sc. in Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai.
I worked as a lecturer for the past 7 years and later joined ISRO as a scientist. Since 2008 until now, for the past 15 years, I have been working as a scientist at ISRO, and presently my designation is Grade of Scientist SF. I have been a part of both Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 projects. My role as a power system engineer is to design, test, and fabricate the power subsystem for the Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3 missions.
Inspiration
• What was your inspiration behind pursuing a career in the space exploration field ?
I have to say something about Professor Vikram Sarabhai, who had the motto, “We should be second to none in providing service to a common man using the advancements of science and technology.” He was a true visionary. When I joined ISRO and heard about the vision behind the organization, I was truly inspired.
I also feel that working in space gives me thrilling, interesting, and challenging experiences. The challenges that are there in the space exploration field of sending devices to space and exploring the ways to make them work also inspire me a lot.
Achievements
• According to you, what does “success” mean, and how are you measuring it in your career ?
‘Success’, according to me, is a measure of how happy and content you are. In a nutshell, self-satisfaction is what can tell you how successful you are. I am like 100% for it because there may be so many people like me who are doing a similar job or even a much better job, but still, they may not be recognized, and they may not be known to the entire society. But that doesn’t mean that they are not successful; it’s not the recognition of society that determines whether we are successful.
When we become perfect, we just do our duty with commitment, not for the sake of recognition or expectations. I think when we understand this clearly, that’s when we are at the top of our success. This is ‘success’, according to me.
Support System
• In what ways did your family, colleagues, or mentors play a crucial role in your success ?
“Love All and Serve All“—This is deeply imprinted within me as I have been brought up hearing this message as a follower of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
I should definitely say that I am blessed with a very good support system; that’s my family. My parents and my in-laws, who understand my nature of work and support me throughout my life without imposing any restrictions on me while pursuing my passion.
My pillar of support is my husband, who also works as a scientist at the same center, the ISRO satellite center. I am very lucky to have him as a mentor on the professional front and a major supporting system in my personal life. My two teenage boys, who understand my career and passion and accept my genuine absence and the quality time I spend with them despite my busy schedule.
Just when I was about to join ISRO in 2008, I was affected by a very rare syndrome that had a severe impact on my health. Even in those hard times, I was able to overcome the hurdles with the support of my family and mentors.
Also, during my schooling, graduation, and post-graduation, I was lucky enough to have inspiring teachers and my elders who had dedicated their lives to the service of society. They are my true inspiration. Because of their encouragement, I chose physics as my subject to pursue either teaching or research in physics. Their constant support led me to the job at ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organization.
Skills to Excel
• What are the specific skills that you think women need to excel in various fields ?
I feel a systematic approach, logical thinking, meticulous planning and execution are required for excelling in any field. When women can handle their emotional balance, they can definitely excel in any field.
Work-Life Balance
• How do you manage a work-life balance with a demanding career and personal life ?
Regarding the work-life balance, I believe that God has blessed women with a multi-tasking capability. So naturally, I’m able to fit in multiple roles. However, I remind myself to maintain a balance, as in the long run, multi-tasking is going to be exhaustive.
When the situation arises, I fill in the gap and adjust my speed as per the situation. I do take breaks intermittently, share the work with others, and encourage teamwork. In this way, I give equal priority to my family, my profession, and my health.
Future Goals
• What are your future goals and aspirations in your career ?
Regarding the goal in my life, I really feel that whatever I am doing now, I should do it perfectly. I started by being self-confident and self-satisfied, and now I am focusing on perfection and inner happiness.
It is not about doing great things; it’s about doing the little things in a great way. So, whatever I am doing now, I want to do it perfectly, and I think that’s what my ambition is.
Breaking Stereotypes
• How can society better showcase women in STEM fields to break down stereotypes ?
Although I don’t have a specific answer, my personal opinion is that in every generation, there are women who are excelling in various fields. But they remain unknown, as their identity is often not shown in the right way.
I appreciate those who are always silent torchbearers, and their contribution is very much there, not just in STEM but in all aspects of society.
Shaping Future Generations
• How would you encourage women to explore space investigation and related fields ?
Space is a challenging field with many mysteries to be explored. If you are passionate about it, pursue your studies and career in space-related fields. There is no gender difference in pursuing these interests.
In any field, for that matter, if we have a bigger picture, a long-distance vision, and a clear perception, it will definitely help us to excel in the respective fields.The barriers or hurdles only exist in our imagination.
Closing Thoughts
• Do you have any messages or advice to share with women who are aspiring to reach new heights in their careers and passions ?
I would be glad to answer this question. In reality, it’s a battle for everyone to achieve their dreams. All of us have our own struggles. It is not easy for women since we always have dual responsibilities. This is the actual fact and the truth. The quicker we accept it, the faster we can equip ourselves with the necessary skills and adapt to it.
I strongly believe that women are blessed with special Naari Shakthi. Once we strongly believe in our own strength, we can definitely achieve much greater heights.
Although family needs to be prioritized by women, they have the full ability and potential to manage multiple roles. Hence, along with taking care of their family, they should also excel in their career and passion. Through this, they can play a part in shaping a better society.
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“The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on with it, and the perseverance to follow it.”
- Kalpana Chawla
It’s inspiring to visualize the above quote with Mrs. Usha’s life, where she fulfilled her dreams through having a clear vision, immense courage to manage multiple roles, and strong perseverance amidst the hurdles that finally led her to success.
Through this interview blog post, we can learn that believing in the potential within us is a major key to transforming our lives.
For women, especially those who want to excel in their careers and passions, their first step should be to strongly believe that they are capable enough. If this is done successfully, for sure, they will transform their dreams into reality.
