Mathxplore: Created page with "{{SHORTDESC:Indian entrepreneur, space educator, and social activist}} {{#seo: |title=Dr. Srimathy Kesan |title_mode=append |keywords=Dr. Srimathy Kesan, Space Kidz India, Indian space educator, woman entrepreneur, AzaadiSAT, KalamSat, Indian space industry, women in STEM, NASA, ISRO, Dr. Srimathy Kesan Wikipedia |description=Dr. Srimathy Kesan is an Indian entrepreneur, space educator, and social activist. She is the founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, an aerospace sta..."

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Created page with "{{SHORTDESC:Indian entrepreneur, space educator, and social activist}} {{#seo: |title=Dr. Srimathy Kesan |title_mode=append |keywords=Dr. Srimathy Kesan, Space Kidz India, Indian space educator, woman entrepreneur, AzaadiSAT, KalamSat, Indian space industry, women in STEM, NASA, ISRO, Dr. Srimathy Kesan Wikipedia |description=Dr. Srimathy Kesan is an Indian entrepreneur, space educator, and social activist. She is the founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, an aerospace sta..."

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{{SHORTDESC:Indian entrepreneur, space educator, and social activist}}
{{#seo:
|title=Dr. Srimathy Kesan
|title_mode=append
|keywords=Dr. Srimathy Kesan, Space Kidz India, Indian space educator, woman entrepreneur, AzaadiSAT, KalamSat, Indian space industry, women in STEM, NASA, ISRO, Dr. Srimathy Kesan Wikipedia
|description=Dr. Srimathy Kesan is an Indian entrepreneur, space educator, and social activist. She is the founder and CEO of Space Kidz India, an aerospace startup pioneering small satellite launches and student space missions.
|image=Dr. Srimathy Kesan.jpg
|image_alt=Dr. Srimathy Kesan
}}{| class="infobox" style="width: 22em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left; border-spacing: 0px; background-color: #f9f9f9; border: 1px solid #aaa; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; font-size: larger; padding: 5px 0;" |'''Dr. Srimathy Kesan'''
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center; padding: 0; background-color: #f9f9f9;" |[[File:Dr. Srimathy Kesan.jpg|alt=Dr. Srimathy Kesan |frameless]]
|-
| style="width: 30%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Born'''
| style="width: 70%; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |[[wikipedia:Chennai|Chennai]], [[wikipedia:Tamil Nadu|Tamil Nadu]], [[wikipedia:India|India]]
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Nationality'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |[[wikipedia:India|Indian]]
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Occupation'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |[[wikipedia:Entrepreneur|Entrepreneur]], [[wikipedia:Educator|Space Educator]], [[wikipedia:Social Activist|Social Activist]]
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Known for'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |Founder and CEO of [[wikipedia:Space Kidz India|Space Kidz India]]; creator of [[wikipedia:KalamSAT|KalamSAT]] and [[wikipedia:AzaadiSAT|AzaadiSAT]]
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Education'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |Travel and Tourism Management; Honorary Ph.D. (Education through Travel), Cosmopolitan University (USA)
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Years active'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |2010–present
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Organization'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |[[wikipedia:Space Kidz India|Space Kidz India (SKI)]]
|-
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |'''Website'''
| style="background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px;" |https://www.spacekidzindia.in/
|}

'''Dr. Srimathy Kesan''' is an [[wikipedia:India|Indian]] [[wikipedia:Entrepreneur|entrepreneur]], [[wikipedia:Educator|space educator]], and [[wikipedia:Social Activist|social activist]]. She is the founder and CEO of [[wikipedia:Space Kidz India|Space Kidz India (SKI)]], an [[wikipedia:Aerospace|aerospace]] organization dedicated to promoting [[wikipedia:STEM education|STEM education]] and designing student-built [[wikipedia:Small satellite|small satellites]] launched by [[wikipedia:ISRO|ISRO]] and [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]. Under her leadership, SKI has inspired thousands of young minds and made history through missions like [[wikipedia:KalamSAT|KalamSAT]] and [[wikipedia:AzaadiSAT|AzaadiSAT]].

== Early life and education ==
Dr. Srimathy Kesan pursued her foundational education in [[wikipedia:Travel and Tourism Management|Travel and Tourism Management]] and later received an honorary Ph.D. in "Education through Travel" from Cosmopolitan University, USA.
She was a distinguished cadet in the [[wikipedia:National Cadet Corps (India)|National Cadet Corps (NCC)]], becoming the first female cadet to command her battalion parade. In 1992, she was named “Best Cadet” and Parade Commander for the Andhra Pradesh Contingent and was selected for the prestigious [[wikipedia:Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] Guard of Honour at the Prime Minister’s Rally.
A talented athlete, she represented Andhra Pradesh in ten National [[wikipedia:Basketball|basketball]] tournaments and competed in [[wikipedia:Athletics|athletics]] disciplines including [[wikipedia:Shot put|shot put]], [[wikipedia:Javelin throw|javelin]], and [[wikipedia:Relay race|relay races]]. She earned multiple medals and held the NCC rank of *Senior Under Officer* in the 1(A) Girls Battalion.

== Career ==
=== Space Kidz India ===
Dr. Srimathy founded [[wikipedia:Space Kidz India|Space Kidz India (SKI)]] to democratize access to space and encourage innovation among students. Over a decade, she has guided the development and launch of numerous satellites, including:

* '''KALAMSAT''' – The world’s smallest and lightest satellite, launched by [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]].
* '''KALAMSAT-V2''', '''SD SAT''', '''AzaadiSAT''', and '''AzaadiSAT 2.0''' – Launched by [[wikipedia:ISRO|ISRO]].
* '''Near Space Launch Vehicle (NSLV)''' – A collaborative initiative with the Government of Rajasthan.

Under her leadership, SKI has achieved over 18 BalloonSats, 2 suborbital payloads, and 5 orbital satellite launches.

=== International collaborations ===
She is the only Indian recognized as an Ambassador to [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]], the [[wikipedia:European Space Agency|European Space Agency (ESA)]], and the [[wikipedia:Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre|Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre]] in Moscow.
Key projects include:

* '''Mission PAYANKE''' (Seychelles) – A [[wikipedia:UNESCO|UNESCO]]-funded space education program.
* '''Friendship Satellite''' – A joint project with the Moscow Aviation Institute celebrating Indo–Russian relations.
* '''NSLV-6 Balloon Mission''' – Launched from [[wikipedia:NASA|NASA]]’s Columbia facility with payloads designed by children aged 10–15.

=== Zero gravity flight ===
Dr. Srimathy became the first Indian woman to experience weightlessness aboard a zero-gravity flight, alongside Apollo 16 moonwalker Charles Duke and Apollo engineer Poppy Northcutt.

== Awards and recognition ==
=== National awards ===

* Devi Award (The New Indian Express, 2024)
* Kalvi Tharagai Award (Vikatan, 2022)
* Abdul Kalam Award for Science and Technology
* Pride of India (CNBC & 1000 Petals Foundation, 2016)
* Nari Shakti Award (Seemapuria Times, 2014)
* Cavinkare Chinnikrishnan Innovation Award (2013)
* Chennai Super Mom (The Hindu, 2009)

=== International awards ===

* Women Leaders in Electronics Award (UK House of Lords, 2025)
* Globant Global Award for Women in Tech – India Region (2023)
* Women Icon Award (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 2017)
* Legendary Lioness Lifetime Achievement Award (VR Oneness Foundation, 2018)
* Global Women in Leadership – Brand India Global Vision

=== Social and business honors ===

* Best Social Entrepreneur Award (FICCI FLO)
* Social Entrepreneur of the Year (Rotary Club Port City, 2015)
* Leading Women Entrepreneur (II Global, 2014)
* Woman of the Year in Science & Technology (WEDO)

=== Institutional recognition ===
Under Dr. Srimathy’s leadership, [[wikipedia:Space Kidz India|Space Kidz India]] has been featured in:

* [[wikipedia:Asia Book of Records|Asia Book of Records]]
* [[wikipedia:India Book of Records|India Book of Records]]
* Official World Record
* Assist Book of Records

== Other endeavours ==

* Member of the Planning Board, [[wikipedia:Mother Teresa Women's University|Mother Teresa University]], Kodaikanal (appointed by the Governor of Tamil Nadu)
* Advisor at [[wikipedia:AMET University|AMET University]]
* Author of ''First Kids on the Moon'', India’s first space fiction for children
* Presented a paper at the [[wikipedia:University of Oxford|Oxford University]] on nano-satellites and high-altitude ballooning

== Social activism ==
Dr. Srimathy is a strong advocate for social reform. She has produced short films on [[wikipedia:Breast cancer awareness|breast cancer awareness]] and [[wikipedia:Female foeticide in India|female foeticide]], organized AIDS awareness campaigns, supported juvenile homes, and led relief drives during the [[wikipedia:COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]] and Chennai floods.

== In arts and culture ==
Under her leadership, Space Kidz India’s cultural team represented India at the [[wikipedia:2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympics]] and has organized performances in [[wikipedia:Canada|Canada]] and the [[wikipedia:United States|United States]].

== See also ==

* [[wikipedia:Space Kidz India|Space Kidz India]]
* [[wikipedia:KalamSAT|KalamSAT]]
* [[wikipedia:AzaadiSAT|AzaadiSAT]]
* [[wikipedia:ISRO|Indian Space Research Organisation]]
* [[wikipedia:InSpace|Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (InSpace)]]

Dr. Srimathy Kesan - Revision history