Who is Neela Rajendra? Indian-origin NASA JPL diversity officer terminated amid political tensions
Neela Rajendra, the Indian-origin Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), was terminated from her position last week.
As reported, this development follows reports that JPL had previously attempted to retain her by reassigning her to a newly created role, “Chief of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” after President Donald Trump’s 2024 executive order aimed at eliminating federal DEI initiatives.
Neela Rajendra’s exit from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has stirred attention, particularly given the broader political and institutional context surrounding it.
In an all-staff email sent on Thursday, April 10, JPL director Laurie Leshin confirmed her exit, stating, “Neela Rajendra is no longer working at [the Jet Propulsion Laboratory]. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she made to our organization. We wish her the very best.”
Her removal is notable not only because of her role but also because it comes amid a wave of changes tied to US President Donald Trump’s stance against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Throughout 2024, nearly 900 employees were laid off at the NASA facility due to budget constraints, and JPL’s diversity office was officially eliminated, said the report. Yet, Rajendra—who had been a central figure in those initiatives—remained quietly employed, with her title changed to “head of employee success.”
Reports suggest that while references to DEI were scrubbed from her official profile, she continued many of the same responsibilities under the new title.
In fact, as recently as early March, she was still leading JPL’s Black Excellence Strategic Team, underscoring how her role evolved in name but not necessarily in function. Her eventual departure reflects the growing tension between institutional values and shifting federal priorities, making her exit not just a staffing change but a symbol of a broader ideological shift.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Neela Rajendra described her role in the newly rebranded office as being focused on “unlocking our potential to Dare Mighty Things TOGETHER,” a nod to JPL’s iconic motto and a clear attempt to emphasise unity and collaboration within the lab.
When the office was launched under ‘Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success’, JPL Director Laurie Leshin framed the transition as a strategic move, calling it “essential for [JPL’s] future success” and a natural continuation of Rajendra’s skills and focus areas.
Before the shift, Neela Rajendra was a central figure in NASA’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She played a major role in initiatives like the “Space Workforce 2030” pledge, which sought to improve the representation of women and minorities within the aerospace industry.
Her leadership in that campaign signalled her commitment to long-term structural change.
In a 2022 presentation, she openly acknowledged the challenges of achieving inclusion goals within high-pressure, fast-paced environments like JPL, citing “extreme deadlines” as a significant barrier to progress—an insight reported by the Washington Free Beacon. Her recent dismissal, especially after being quietly reassigned rather than being laid off like many others in the diversity office, underscores growing tensions between organisational commitments to DEI and shifting political and institutional pressures.
