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 Photo: NASA
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS A true Indian American success story Kalpana Chawla symbolised the American dream: arriving in the US as a student and achieving one of the highest goals possible, becoming an astronaut. She schooled in Karnal; earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Punjab Engineering College; did her master's at the University of Texas, Arlington; and finally a doctorate from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She then joined the US space program and was selected to be an astronaut, not just once but twice. The first Indian-American woman in space embarked on her second voyage January 16 aboard US space shuttle Columbia. Her first trip was in November 1996 aboard the same space shuttle. On her second trip, she carried a white silk banner as part of a worldwide campaign to honour teachers. The five feet-by-three feet cloth shows a teacher's outstretched hand blessing a girl bowing before her. Chawla announced last year that she would like to carry such a banner in honour of teachers like Nirmaladidi who taught her at the Tagore Bal Niketan in Karnal, and who inspired students to learn. But Columbia broke up as it re-entered the atmosphere on its way to the Kennedy Space Center on February 1, killing all its crew members. Between them, the seven astronauts represented much of the world: women Laurel Clark and Chawla, originally from India; Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli in space; William C McCool, an African-American; Americans Rick D Husband Michael P Anderson, David M Brown. Through her success and death, Kalpana became an icon for Indians, Americans, and Indian-Americans. And more than anyone else, it was young girls in India who hailed her as their heroine. Complete coverage: The Columbia tragedy Text: Ramananda Sengupta
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