NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover successfully landed on the Red Planet on Friday (February 19). It is interesting to note that the Indian-American Swati Mohan was virtually at the forefront of the successful landing of Perseverance.
Swati Mohan was the first to confirm that the rover had successfully landed on the Martian surface. ‘Touchdown confirmed’, Dr Swati said around 15:55 Eastern Time (2055 GMT), while mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena celebrated the performance.
NASA has released a video of this moment showing Dr Swati wearing a small bindi on her forehead. It soon caught the eye of Desi Twitterati who absolutely loved the doctor’s appearance.
The parachute has been deployed! @NASAPersevere is on her way to complete her # CountdownToMars: pic.twitter.com/i29Wb4rYlo
– NASA (@NASA) 18 February 2021
After the photo went viral on Twitter, several users praised Dr Swati, calling her ‘lady with the bindi’. Some users have also shared their stories with beloved bindi.
– Like how my Twitter feed likes to gain space – Striking how much NASA is more diverse than the years of white guys-in-a-certain-age group – This is dr. Swati Mohan, who has nothing less than a bindi – especially resonant memories still remain of racist / anti-immigrant “dotbusters”# Perseverance pic.twitter.com/wo3BRwHJ8w
– Tanvi Madan (@tanvi_madan) 18 February 2021
“Touchdown confirmed” announced @DrSwatiMohan, origin GN&C operations lead as @NASAsay # Perseverance ended up in a Mars crater.
No longer the hidden figure in space, ‘Lady with the Bindi’, Dr Swati, made proud and inspired women aspire to Mars! pic.twitter.com/AFZYZzqyrA
– Lakshmi M Puri (@lakshmiunwomen) 19 February 2021
I wore a bindi in elementary school until I was old enough to notice people’s comments and feel self-aware. Admittedly, I still hesitate to post childhood photos for it. Swati Mohan’s made me smile 🙂 https://t.co/wfmeoYk0Of
– Hema Mullur (@HemaMullur) 18 February 2021
listen. i wore a bindi through elementary school and bullied for it, physically bullied. it does all sorts of things to me. swati mohan in mission control, thank you. #NASAPerseverance
– Anuradha Damale (@anulikesstars) 18 February 2021
Swati Mohan came to America as a child. She lived most of her childhood in the North Virginia-Washington DC metro area. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from Cornell University and completed her MS and PhD at MIT in Aeronautics / Aerospace. Dr Swati is the Mars 2020 Guide, Navigation and Controls (GN&C).