Renowned ISRO scientist N Valarmathi, known for her distinctive voice that guided India through numerous space mission countdowns, has sadly passed away. Her untimely demise, attributed to a heart attack in Chennai, has deeply saddened the scientific community.
Dr. PV Venkitakrishnan, a former ISRO director, took to social media to offer his condolences. He acknowledged that Valarmathiโs voice was synonymous with Chandrayaan-3โs final countdown, expressing his sorrow: โThe voice of Valarmathi Madam will not be there for the countdowns of future missions of ISRO from Sriharikotta. Chandrayaan 3 was her final countdown announcement. An unexpected demise. Feel so sad. Pranams!โ
Numerous individuals, some fortunate enough to have worked closely with her, paid heartfelt tributes on various social media platforms. One user recalled her role in the Vikram-S launch, writing, โVery, very sad to hear this. We worked closely with her for our Vikram-S launch last year, for which she was the voice for the launch countdown.โ
Another user acknowledged her contribution to the nation, stating, โJai Hindโฆ she will be remembered as her countdownโฆ finally ended and gave us Shivshakti point at the moon.โ
The absence of Valarmathiโs familiar voice during the Aditya-L1 launch had not gone unnoticed, as one user shared, โI noticed her absence during the #AdityaL1 launch. I thought she might be out of the office or something. But I didnโt expect this sad news. Iโll really miss her. Om Shanti.โ
Valarmathiโs legacy includes her pivotal role in Indiaโs historic achievement of becoming the first country to successfully land on the moonโs south pole through the Chandrayaan-3 mission in August. This accomplishment solidified Indiaโs position among the elite group of nations that have achieved lunar landings, alongside the United States, China, and Russia.
Valarmathiโs contributions to ISRO and her iconic countdown announcements will forever be etched in the annals of Indiaโs space history. Her passing represents a significant loss to the scientific community, and she will be remembered with profound respect and admiration.
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