A relic of a pioneering Indian space scientist, known as India’s ‘rocket woman’, has found a new home in a Silicon Valley museum. The sari she wore during India’s first Mars mission in 2013 is now on display, chronicling a journey that married tradition with technology.
The garment, a nine-yard woven symbol of Indian femininity, was worn by Dr. Tessy Thomas, a senior scientist at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the project director for the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). This mission, affectionately called Mangalyaan, orbited the Red Planet on a shoestring budget of $74 million, less than the budget of the Hollywood film ‘Gravity’.
The sari, now housed at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, is part of a new exhibition titled ‘The Code of Life: From Earth to Mars’. The exhibit explores how human ambition, technology, and culture intersect in the quest for interplanetary exploration.
Dr. Thomas, often called the ‘Rocket Woman of India’, is a principal advisor at ISRO. She has been a trailblazer in a male-dominated field. Her choice of attire during the MOM launch was a deliberate statement. ‘I wore a sari because it is our tradition and it represents the spirit of India. I wanted to show the world that you can be deeply rooted in your culture and still reach for the stars,’ she said in a statement.
The sari is a light grey silk with a golden border, typical of the Kanchipuram style. It was preserved after the mission and donated to the museum by Dr. Thomas herself. The curator, Anna Lee, noted: ‘This sari is not just a piece of clothing. It is a symbol of diversity in space exploration, a reminder that the space industry is no longer the exclusive domain of men in suits. Women like Tessy Thomas are expanding the narrative.’
The exhibition also includes a 3D-printed model of the MOM spacecraft, a replica of the launch pad at Sriharikota, and interactive displays explaining the science behind the mission. The sari is displayed under a spotlight, behind a glass case, with a placard that reads: ‘Dress of Determination: The Sari That Flew to Mars’.
The Mars Orbiter Mission was India’s first interplanetary mission. It made India the fourth nation to reach Mars after the United States, the Soviet Union, and the European Space Agency. The mission also made India the first country to succeed in its first attempt, with a meagre budget.
Dr. Thomas’ sari at the museum is a poignant artefact in an era where space agencies are grappling with diversity and inclusion. In 2020, the European Space Agency launched an initiative to attract more women to the space sector. NASA’s Artemis program aims to land the first woman on the Moon by 2025.
Critics, however, warn against oversimplifying the challenges. ‘Displaying a sari in a museum does not erase the fact that women in STEM still face systemic hurdles,’ said Dr. Ananya Roy, a professor of gender studies at the University of Cambridge. ‘But symbols matter. They inspire the next generation.’
The museum expects over a million visitors to see the exhibition this year. School groups are frequent; young girls from nearby schools often stop in front of the sari for a long moment.
As quantum computing and AI promise to revolutionise space travel, exhibitions like this remind us of the human element. The sari is a testament to the fact that technology and culture are not mutually exclusive. They can, and should, coexist.
Dr. Thomas, now retired from ISRO, continues to advocate for women in science. ‘The sari is a metaphor for breaking free of constraints,’ she said. ‘We draped the cloth of our tradition and soared infinite miles.’
In the end, this is not just a story about a sari. It is a story about how India, with its ancient roots and modern ambitions, is shaping the future of space exploration. And at the centre of it all is a woman who kept her sari on, while the world watched her reach for the stars.
