This is a very powerful picture and standing proudly in the centre among all her male associates is Dr Tessy Thomas, also known as ‘MISSILE WOMEN OF INDIA’. She is the only woman scientist to head a missile project in India, and inspires many aspiring young women scientists across the country to become one.
She grew up in Kerala near Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) and that is the place where it all began. In one of her interviews, she expressed how it always fascinated her what goes on inside these stations and how they do it.
She has four sisters and one brother. When Thomas was only 13 years old her father suffered from a stroke which left his right side paralyzed, being the only earning member it affected the family and her parents decided to make their childrens’ education a priority, and focused on making them self-reliant. She had a natural flair for mathematics and science. She scored 100% in mathematics during her higher secondary years. When asked who she dedicates her success to she often replies it is for her parents who gave her equal opportunity and trusted the process, as change begins at home and thus breaking stereotypes began at her home.
She did her M.Tech in Guided Missile from the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune. During her M.Tech she had planned a high level Missile System. This episode had changed her own course of life, alongside the historical backdrop of the Missile venture of India.
In 1988, Dr Tessy Thomans joined DRDO (Defense Research and Development Organization) where she worked under Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who was also her role model. He put her in a navigation and guiding group. Reminiscing about working with Dr KALAM, she says, “his management style changed the DRDO working environment forever.” In a way, while Dr APJ Adbul Kalam is the ‘Rocket Man of India,’ Dr. Tessy Thomas is the ‘Rocket Woman of India.’
She was then put in the branch of plan and improvement of the new age ballistic rocket, Agni. For the Agni Program, she had been designated by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Tessy was a partner project head of the 3,000 km range Agni-III rocket. She was the task chief for mission Agni IV, which was effectively tried in 2011. Tessy was selected as the Project Director for the 5,000 km range Agni-V in 2009. The rocket was effectively tried on 19 April 2012. She was delegated as Director-General, Aeronautical Systems of DRDO in 2018.
Another momentous innovation was created by her, which is called the Re-passage Vehicle System or RVS. This innovation causes the rocket to re-emerge in the climate with a roaring speed alongside a temperature containing 3,000 degree Celsius. During the year 2006, Tessy Thomas and her group fizzled in dispatching the Missile securely. However, soon after 10 months she and her team was effectively ready to dispatch the rocket, which was without a doubt trying for the Agni group.
The term Agni Putri means the lady of fire. The rocket lady of India has set up a pattern in the field of the starting of Missiles. The ‘Agni putri’ from Kerala received several prestigious awards — including:
∙ DRDO Scientist of the year (2008)
∙ DRDO Performance Excellence Award (2011 and 2012)
∙ India Today Women of the year (2009)
∙ Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award for Excellence (2012)
∙ CNN-IBN Indian of the Year (2012)
∙ Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya Award (2016)
∙ Outstanding Woman Achiever Award by Women in Science and Engineering.
Tessy , her name comes as a derivative from Mother Teresa, who like her name also served her country and made it proud. When asked in one of the interviews about how some people get attracted to the corporate world and often leave and if she ever considered the same, she answered that working in DRDO and contributing to the country is indescribable feeling for her and she would never consider doing so.
She is married to Saroj Kumar, an officer of the Indian Navy. She isn't just extraordinary in her work, but a mindful mother and homemaker. The Agni Putri is the trailblazer for all the Indian women who are offsetting their profession alongside their family impeccably.
Now with 30+ years of experience in this field, she says there is no glass ceiling here and working with full dedication can lead you anywhere you set your heart to. She has proved us that gender inequality cannot abstain from achieving your dream as long as we are willing to work hard and sacrifice. She faced many difficulties when her son, Tejas was still in school and very young to understand the complexity of her work, but she was persistent in her efforts and we all are the witness of its results.
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