• ISRO scientist V.R. Lalithambika was conferred Chevalier of the Legion of Honour for her engagement in space cooperation between France and India.

• Lalithambika is a distinguished scientist of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and former director of the Directorate of the Human Spaceflight Programme.

• The award was given to her by ambassador of France to India, Thierry Mathou, on behalf of the French government.

• A specialist in advanced launch vehicle technology, Lalithambika has worked extensively on various ISRO rockets, particularly the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

• In 2018, as director of the human spaceflight programme, she coordinated closely with the French National Space Agency (CNES) for India’s Gaganyaan project.

• Lalithambika was instrumental in signing of the first joint agreement for cooperation between CNES and ISRO on human spaceflight, under which the two countries could exchange specialists to work on space medicine.

• In 2021, Lalithambika coordinated with CNES for the signing of a second agreement between France and India on the Indian astronaut programme during the visit of the former French foreign affairs minister to ISRO, Bengaluru.

• Under this agreement, the French space agency would train India’s flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France at the CADMOS centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations at CNES in Toulouse and at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany.

Legion of Honour

• Created in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Légion d’Honneur (the Legion of Honour) is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients.

• The Legion of Honour is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction. 

• They are: Knight (Chevalier), Officer, Commander, Grand Officer and Grand Cross.

• It was first awarded on July 14, 1804.

• In July 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian premier to have been conferred with the ‘Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour’.

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