Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams is on her way to Earth after an extended nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS). On this monumental occasion, the world remembers Kalpana Chawla, the woman who has inspired not only Ms Williams but many others globally.
Ms Chawla, who would have turned 62 this year, was the first Indian woman to go to space.
Born in Karnal, Haryana, on March 17, 1962, Kalpana Chawla was fascinated by aeroplanes and space from a young age. Encouraged by her family, she pursued her passion by earning a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College. She then moved to the United States, obtaining a Master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in 1984, followed by a PhD in the same subject from the University of Colorado in 1988.
Her academic excellence and determination took her to NASA in 1994. By 1997, she had achieved what no other Indian woman had before – she became an astronaut.
Kalpana Chawla went on two space missions that cemented her place in history.
Her first mission, STS-87 in 1997, was aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, where she served as a mission specialist and robotic arm operator. This journey made her the first woman of Indian origin in space.
During this mission, former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral spoke to Ms Chawla while she was in space, telling her, “Kalpana, we are proud of you. Each one of us in India is proud of a person like you, who has done such pioneering work, particularly the women and youth of India.”
Ms Chawla described space as “a dome of a dark sky and stars everywhere… very much like a storybook.”
She also shared her experience of seeing India from space with the late Prime Minister, saying, “A couple of days ago, we picked a view of the Himalayas from the orbiter… The view of the Himalayas is so magnificent that it really belongs to all of us.”
Her second mission, STS-107 in 2003, was also on Columbia and involved conducting important scientific experiments in space. Tragedy struck on February 1, when the shuttle disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. The accident occurred just 16 minutes before landing, killing all seven crew members, including Ms Chawla.
Kalpana Chawla’s name remains immortal in space history. The Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting paid tribute to her on her birth anniversary on Monday, calling her “A daughter of India who dared to dream beyond the stars, her life and achievements continue to inspire many around the globe.”
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also honoured her, saying, “Her courage, determination, and passion continue to inspire millions to dream beyond boundaries and reach for the stars.”
NASA recognised her contributions by posthumously awarding her the Congressional Space Medal of Honour and naming a spacecraft “SS Kalpana Chawla.”