Smt. Subha Varier, Sci/Engineer SG, Avionics Entity of VSSC (Vikram Sarabhai Space centre), has been selected for the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2016 instituted by Ministry of Women and Child Development. She was selected for the award considering her contribution in making PSLV C -37 mission a grand success. She will get Rs 1 Lakh cash award and citation. The awards will be conferred on 8th March on the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD). This Award acknowledges the contributions of women for the nation. PSLV C37 mission was very significant due to the fact that the vehicle carried 104 satellites from 6 different nations. She was instrumental in inducting and globalizing onboard Video Systems in all the ISRO Launch vehicle programmes.
A full fledged video system, conceptualized, configured and realized by Smt. Subha Varier, was employed in the PSLVC 37 mission to confirm the collision free separation of all the satellites in the mission. PSLV being an operational vehicle and used for multi satellite deployment for world-wide users, it was essential to have images of critical separating events of stages and satellites as proof of performance, from the technical and commercial point of view. These images helped in quick look post flight data analysis. Further, it provided good video content for public viewing, expanding the avenues of this operational vehicle.
Presently she is heading the Video Systems Development Section in Avionics Entity, VSSC Thiruvananthapuram. She is responsible for developing various onboard systems like Video processing electronics based on JPEG & MPEG, SD & HD Cameras, DSP based Data processing Units for Scientific payloads, Real Time Decision system for Liftoff, different types of onboard data recorders etc.
A graduate from College of Engineering and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram in Electronics and Communication Engineering, she joined ISRO in December 1991. Her husband Sri. Raghu is working as an Engineer in VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram. Her son Gautham.R.Warrier is a Software Development Engineer working with Amazon, Hyderabad. Daughter Gadha.R.Warrier is Studying in 8th standard in St.Thomas Central School, Thiruvananthapuram. Hailing from Alapuzha she now resides in Ambalamukku near Kowdiar.