Anima Patil Sabale, Orion Spacecraft Simulations Lab Manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center stressed on the need for a backup plan while pursuing one’s dreams. She was addressing students at UPES’s web talk series ‘Shakti Talks’.
Her dream to become an astronaut began as a child when she developed a fascination for the stars and the galaxy. She said,“Dreaming of something like NASA or aerospace engineering was not considered normal for girls in the 80’s. Even when I applied for the air force, in those days the very first criteria was to be a male. It’s not the same today and things have changed a little for girls now. But still there has to be a lot of passion instilled to break the glass ceilings that still exist to achieve your dreams.”
Sharing her experiences with the girl students who aspire to make their career in the field of space and aeronautics, Sabale said every aspirant should “look for opportunities for yourself but don’t follow others”. She stressed on the need for also having a backup plan and on the importance of working hard. She said that aspirants should let their achievements speak for themselves. Shakti is an initiative by UPES to empower women by implementing multiple initiatives in areas of training and development. Through Shakti, UPES endeavours to encourage more female students for ‘classrooms to boardrooms’ journey and prepare women leaders across various sectors.
