NASA has terminated Neela Rajendra, an Indian-origin official who headed the agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) division, following an executive order issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The order mandated the shutdown of DEI programs across the country and called for the dismissal of personnel involved in these initiatives, according to a report by NDTV.
Initially, NASA attempted to retain Rajendra by changing her title to “Head of the Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” while her core responsibilities remained the same. A new division was even created under this name. However, due to mounting administrative pressure, the agency could not maintain this arrangement.
An internal email from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) last week confirmed her departure: “Neela Rajendra is no longer with JPL. We are deeply grateful for the lasting impact she made at our institution and wish her all the best in her future endeavors,” wrote JPL Director Laurie Leshin, according to a report by the Daily Mail.
Last year, during a budget crisis, NASA laid off nearly 900 DEI-related employees. Rajendra was among the few who retained their positions. However, in March this year, after Trump’s order took effect, NASA officially shut down its DEI department. Rajendra was initially retained under a new title, but she was eventually dismissed in early April after further pressure from the Trump administration.
In a previous LinkedIn post, Rajendra had written, “My goal is to unlock our collective capacity for bold action through leading this office.” Her role had included overseeing various “affinity groups,” including the Black Excellence Strategic Team.
Her dismissal marks a significant shift in NASA’s internal policy direction under renewed political influence.