New Delhi: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s Valarmathi, known as the iconic voice behind the countdown to rocket launches, died in Chennai Saturday of a heart attack.
The space agency said she passed away in a Chennai private hospital from a cardiac arrest.
“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,” the space agency said.
Her last countdown was the launch of Chandrayaan-3, India’s third moon mission, that made history by landing on the lunar south pole.
Former ISRO Director Dr P.V. Venkitakrishnan took to X last evening to share the unfortunate news. He posted: “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!”.
(An earlier version of the copy had erroneously identified deceased Valarmathi as senior scientist N. Valarmathi. The error is regretted.)
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