Mumbai: She will no longer have to conduct car and two-wheeler driving tests nor inspect any commercial vehicle such as autos and buses for fitness in Thane. Sujata Madke (29), is elated today as she took a ‘big leap’ from her RTO role as assistant inspector at the Thane office to being appointed as a scientist at the prestigious Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Bengaluru.“It is a major achievement for me as I am now a Class I officer, designated as scientist/engineer, with a higher grade compared to my present RTO job,” Madke told Sunday. “I am excited for my parents, who have always been my inspiration and encouraged me to aim for higher goals. I was confident when I appeared for the Isro entrance test and later the interview where I fared well. Today, I have also made my department and the state transport minister proud. It feels so good,” she said.She further said she joined the RTO in 2023 after completing her BTech in mechanical engineering and clearing the RTO entrance examination. Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik on Sunday congratulated her for being selected as an Isro scientist. “Success has no shortcuts, but with determination, hard work, and faith in dreams, one can soar even into space,” Sarnaik remarked after congratulating her.He highlighted that Madke, who comes from a simple farming family, has exemplified hard work and perseverance by maintaining consistency in her education throughout her life. The minister attributed her success to the confluence of her parents’ values, teachers’ guidance, and her own relentless efforts. “Her family hails from Shirgaon in Shahapur taluka, Thane district, and she has brought pride to both the transport department and the Thane district,” stated minister Sarnaik. Madke said that Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has been her greatest inspiration.Madke pursued B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Lonere (Raigad). On graduating, she took up a job as research engineer on the Virtual Lab Project at IIT-Kharagpur, gaining exposure to advanced scientific tools and research culture. She later cleared the MPSC exam and joined RTO as assistant motor vehicle inspector in 2023.Madke said that her father was proud of her. “He comes from a humble background and is a retired senior clerk from zilla parishad. My mother is a housewife. I owe a lot to both of them, and it is their blessings that have brought me here at Isro,” she added.
