Driven by curiosity and perseverance, Dr Kavya Manyapu juggles being a space scientist and a classical dancer with ease
From romancing the stars to conquering Bharatanatyam mudras, Dr Kavya K. Manyapu from Hyderabad is a woman who wears many hats. She is also a mountaineer and a scuba diver.
She moved to the US with her family after finishing high school in 2002 and is currently at NASA, leading the development of Exploration Spacesuits for the Artemis programme.
Curious about space
“Right from my childhood, I was keen to know about everything celestial, and my parents encouraged me by fanning my curiosity. We moved to the USA in order to fulfil my dream of working at NASA,” says Kavya.
She holds a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, an M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT, and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Sciences from UND. She has dedicated the last 17 years of her career to contributing to a diverse portfolio of human spaceflight programmes, ranging from Low Earth Orbit to Lunar/Mars exploration, launch of spacecrafts, testing spacesuits and other innovative technologies.
She also holds a Diploma in Bharatanatyam. “When I was 14, I was selected for the Balashree Award for Performing Arts and received it from the President of India at Delhi. I completed my diploma in Bharatanatyam from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University before leaving India,” Kavya shares.
Success mantra
“I believe in 3 Is and 5 Cs. You need to do your work with the right intention, put in the right intensity and give it your full involvement,” Kavya says. Explaining the 5 Cs, she adds, “To achieve big things in life, you need the courage to dream big. You should also have clarity about what you want from life. Once you know what it is, you make a commitment to your life’s purpose and work towards it with consistency. Lastly, throughout the ups and downs of this journey, you must show compassion towards yourself.”
Dr Kavya has received the RNASA National Stellar Award for space achievement and has found a place in the Georgia Institute of Technology’s ‘40 under 40’ list.
Productivity hacks
Dr Kavya juggles her various interests with ease every day. Asked to share a productivity hack, she says, “I believe that the first step is prioritising your work. When I think of doing something. I don’t wait for a ‘good day’ or new year’s resolution to kick it off. It starts today. Perseverance is the key.”
Leaning into spirituality
Dr Kavya is a follower of Sadhguru and has participated in many of his programmes. “Yoga has always been part of my life. So when I learned through my sister that there’s this person who talks about Shiva in a very scientific way, I couldn’t wait to learn more. In order to be a good leader or to succeed or even do community service, you need to be stable within yourself. That is why we need spirituality,” says Kavya, recalling that she met Sadhguru five years ago. “I think our culture is rooted in ancient proven science that it would be ignorant not to leverage these yogic science tools to enhance our lives. Make sure that you look within, because that’s where the foundation is. I wake up at 4 am and spend about two-and-a-half hours on yoga and meditation, which really helps me set the rest of my day,” she adds.
