Kuljeet Kaur Marhas Becomes First Indian Woman Fellow

Kuljeet Kaur Marhas was elected a Fellow of The Meteoritical Society for 2026 on 9 May 2026. She became the first Indian woman to receive this international honour in meteoritics and planetary science. She is affiliated with the Planetary Science Division of the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad.

The Meteoritical Society

The Meteoritical Society is an international scientific body connected with meteorites, planetary materials, and Solar System research. Its Fellows are selected from scientists recognised for work on planetary materials and related laboratory studies. In its 93-year history, Kuljeet Kaur Marhas became only the third Indian scientist to receive this honour.

Research Areas in Planetary Science

Prof. Marhas has worked on short-lived radionuclides and stable isotopes in extraterrestrial materials. Her research includes pre-solar grains, Calcium-Aluminium-rich Inclusions, chondrules, and organic matter in meteorites. These materials are used in cosmochemistry and in studies of the early Solar System.

Analytical Techniques and Space Samples

She has analysed samples from the Stardust mission, the Hayabusa mission, and the Apollo programme. Her work has used Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry and nanoSIMS, which are laboratory techniques for measuring isotopic and elemental composition at very small scales. She is also a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and a recipient of the Devendra Lal Memorial Medal.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Meteoritical Society is linked with meteoritics, a branch of science that studies meteorites and planetary materials.
• Calcium-Aluminium-rich Inclusions are among the oldest solid materials found in meteorites.
• Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry is used to analyse isotopes and trace elements in microscopic samples.
• Stardust, Hayabusa, and Apollo are major space missions associated with sample return or lunar material studies.