Voice behind countdowns for ISRO’s rocket launches, Valarmathi passes away at Chennai

Ms. Valarmathi was a part of the Range Operations Programme Office at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre where she used to announce the countdown on all launches, said ISRO PRO

N. Valarmathi | Photo Credit: X/@DrPVVenkitakri1

N. Valarmathi, an ISRO scientist, who lent her voice on countdowns for rocket launches in Sriharikota, passed away in Chennai at a private hospital on September 3 due to cardiac arrest.

Ms. Valarmathi was a part of the Range Operations Programme Office at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre where she used to announce the countdown on all launches, said ISRO PRO.

The scientist, was the daughter of a government employee, from Ariyalur. After completing her schooling in Tamil medium, she went on to pursue her pre-university course at the Government Arts College, Ariyalur, before moving on to the Government College of Technology, Coimbatore, and from there to the Anna University’s Guindy campus.

The voice of Valarmathi Madam will not be there for the countdowns of future missions of ISRO from Sriharikotta. Chandrayan 3 was her final countdown announcement. An unexpected demise . Feel so sad.Pranams! pic.twitter.com/T9cMQkLU6J

— Dr. P V Venkitakrishnan (@DrPVVenkitakri1) September 3, 2023

Back in 2015, former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa presented the first APJ Abdul Kalam award to N. Valarmathi, who led the team that successfully launched Radar Imaging Satellite RISAT-1 in 2012.

Published - September 04, 2023 11:01 am IST