Trump’s Order Hits NASA: Neela Rajendra Out

US President Donald Trump is making some harsh decisions in all sectors to ensure the USA stands tall among all the other countries. Last time, he decided to “terminate” DEI programs in Federal Agencies. Because of this, Neela Rajendra, an Indian of Indian origin, lost her job. NASA tried to protect her but could not.

Neela was the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. However, after Trump’s order, NASA tried to change her role to the head of “The Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success.” This move did not work.

Neela graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in political science and music. She then pursued a Master’s in Business Administration from Wake Forest University School of Business and completed it in 2008. In 2021, Rajendra joined NASA as the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer until March 2025, when the position was eliminated following the Trump executive order.

Amidst the developments, JPL Director Laurie Leshin described the change as “essential for [JPL’s] future success.”