Hyderabad: Mandarapu Pranavika took the path less travelled and had a chance of becoming part of Chandrayaan 3 project, which landed a rover on the Moon last year, standing as a testament for those who choose passion over money. The landing of the rover is being celebrated as National Science Day.
An electrical engineering graduate from Vasavi College of Engineering, she always had a passion for core technology. While most of her peers gravitated towards software and IT sectors, she was determined to delve into electronics, particularly control systems and communication technologies.
From her second year of college, she balanced a gruelling schedule — attending coaching classes, college, and studying for 18 to 20 hours a day, all this while travelling 40 km daily. Sacrificing weekends and festivals, she remained focused on her goal of securing a position in India's top research organisations like Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and DRDO.
After graduating in 2019, she faced the uncertainty brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Exams were cancelled, and opportunities seemed scarce. “Despite this, my parents, Sujatha, a government school teacher, and Radha Manohar Rao, a businessman, supported me unwaveringly, allowing me the luxury of not being lured by lucrative IT offers and stay true to my passion,” she told Deccan Chronicle
In 2020, she took the Isro Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) exam. Though the process was long and challenging, she received an interview call, and in the midst of the pandemic, she cleared all stages, including a medical exam at Osmania Hospital.
In 2022, she joined the Chandrayaan-3 team at Isro’s UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. “The transition to a new city and adapting to the advanced technology was daunting. However, becoming a crucial part of the mission, particularly in the rover's safe landing and navigation on the moon's surface brought relief and immense happiness to my parents,” she said.
“The most memorable moment was when I witnessed the rover's first steps on the lunar surface, a sight that filled me with immense pride and joy,” she added. Her success brought immense pride to her family, especially her grandmother, with whom she shares a close bond. “Despite all the celebration, one thing I cannot forget is the expression of my grandmother, how happy she was when the rover landed. She saw it as my success,” she said.
