Why an Indian scientist’s saree has earned a place at US's Smithsonian Space Museum

India’s trailblasing Mars mission has found an unexpected ambassador at one of the world’s most celebrated museums — not a spacecraft component or a scientific instrument, but a simple red-and-blue sari worn by an Indian scientist during one of the country’s defining moments in space exploration. 

The saree worn by ISRO Deputy Operations Director Nandini Harinath on December 1, 2013, during a crucial phase of the Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), is now part of the “Futures in Space” gallery at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Its inclusion marks a rare recognition of how culture, identity and science often intersect in the pursuit of extraordinary achievements. 

A sari from a ‘do-or-die’ day 

For Harinath, the garment is inseparable from one of the most nerve-racking days in India’s space history. On December 1, 2013, scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had to execute the manoeuvre that would propel Mangalyaan out of Earth’s orbit and set it on its 300-day journey to Mars. 

Recalling the high-stakes operation, Harinath had earlier described it as the “single most critical day” of the mission. 

“It was a do-or-die moment, the most critical operation in the mission,” she said. “We had to decide where the spacecraft goes, how it goes and when it goes. The success of the mission depended on what we did that day.” 

The choice of attire was deeply personal. Harinath has often worn sarees — particularly those gifted by her father — on important professional occasions and whenever she represents India’s space programme. For such a historic milestone, the red-and-blue sari felt like the natural choice. 

From mission control to museum display 

The story of the saree is closely tied to Mangalyaan’s larger legacy. On September 24, 2014, India successfully placed the spacecraft into Martian orbit, becoming only the fourth nation or geo-political bloc in the world to achieve the feat. Even more remarkably, it accomplished the mission on its first attempt and at a fraction of the cost of many comparable interplanetary missions. 

The celebrations that followed also produced an enduring image. A photograph of saree-clad women rejoicing at ISRO went viral across the world, challenging long-held stereotypes that space science — and particularly rocket engineering in India — was an overwhelmingly male domain. 

Although ISRO later clarified that the women seen in the widely circulated image were administrative staff, the agency also pointed out that several women scientists had played key roles in the mission and were in the control room during the landmark operations. 

Story of India’s ‘Rocket Women’ 

That image left a lasting impression on Matt Shindell, space history curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. 

“I felt it would be a great story to tell, the story of these ‘Rocket Women’ who were at the front and centre of this important mission,” Shindell said, explaining the decision to preserve Harinath’s saree as part of the museum’s permanent collection. 

The Smithsonian, which welcomes tens of thousands of visitors every week, houses several artefacts connected to India, though most relate to the Indian Air Force or the country’s aviation history. It also preserves a commemorative silver tray presented by ISRO to legendary science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke on his 90th birthday in 2007. 

However, Harinath’s garment occupies a unique place in the museum’s archives. 

“But Nandini’s sari is the first object I have collected from India for our interplanetary science collection and it’s our very first saree,” Shindell noted. 

More than a piece of clothing 

At the Smithsonian’s “Futures in Space” gallery, the saree is displayed alongside objects that capture humanity’s evolving relationship with space — from toys and games to movie memorabilia. Significantly, it sits next to the iconic blue T-shirt worn by Sally Ride during the 1983 Space Shuttle mission that made her the first American woman in space. 

The juxtaposition is symbolic. Just as Ride’s T-shirt represents a milestone in the history of women in American spaceflight, Harinath’s saree stands as a reminder that scientific excellence can wear many cultural identities.