Reaching for Space and beyond

Riya Pandey and Shaivee Sharma, students of BSc (Hons) Physics at Kirori Mal College and members of KMC’s Robo Physicists, have been a part of the team that created a replica of the Mars Rover, later displayed for PM Narendra Modi’s visit during DU’s centenary celebrations in 2023. They were also a part of the mechanical team that contributed to the design of the chassis, wheel system, and tyre design for the ISRO Rover Project in November 2023 and repped India in the Australian Rover Challenge (ARCh), held by the University of Adelaide, Australia.

Recounting the funding hurdle after they participated, Pandey informs, “We were the only non-technical college to be representing our nation in the prelims at ARCh.” “But we couldn’t go because of lack of funding. We tried to get sponsors and start online campaigns but they were clashing with our end-sem exams in January,” adds Sharma, 18.

These young guns also face the additional hurdle of being women in a field dominated by men. “Women continue to be treated as not equal to men. For instance, the sex ratio in my own class is so skewed — there are 22 girls in a class of 110. Even opportunities are different. For a technical field job, a man would be preferred. But for a teaching job, I’ll get preference,” says Pandey, 19, but her motive now is to ensure that, in the future, her name is said aloud every time an Indian scientist is mentioned. Sharma adds, “The passion for physics should never be constrained because of something as arbitrary as gender.”