HysIS bears sign of this differently-abled woman

Thiruvananthapuram: When Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched HysIS satellite on the PSLV-C43 mission from Sriharikota on Thursday, there was a 58-year-old physically challenged in the city who got goosebumps.

She is S. Radhambika who played a significant role in creating the printed circuit boards required for the earth observation satellite built around ISRO’s Mini Satellite 2 (IMS-2) bus weighing about 380kg. Ms Radhambika is over the moon as she is leaving for New Delhi by this weekend to receive this year’s national award as the best employer for the empowerment of the persons with disabilities.

Once she returns, she will also be receiving the state award from the social justice department under the best institution category where she has appointed close to 200 employees at her Sivavasu Electronics, a charitable society for physically challenged which includes 32 physically challenged and hearing impairment.

A resident of NCC Nagar in Ambalamukku here, Ms Radhambika was intimated by the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment that she had been selected for a national award for the empowerment of persons with disabilities, 2018, under the ‘best employers’ category.

“I understand that it will be President Ram Nath Kovind who will be giving the award to me at Vigyan Bhawan on Dec 3. It is indeed a proud moment for all of us at Sivavasu Electronics,”said a beaming Ms Radhambika.

So far, she has trained several hundreds of youth with the locomotor disability, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, speech disability and also people with multiple disabilities.

It was during the early 80s she started Sivavasu Electronics after undergoing a course in Vocational Rehabilitation Centre under the Union ministry of labour and employment.

Her life changed forever when ISRO provided her training in Mumbai.