Kalpana Chawla: Remembering India’s 1st woman astronaut to fly in space

The name that instils all Indians with pride and motivation—Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman to fly in space—was born on March 17, 1962, in the Karnal district of Haryana.

Kalpana Chawla became the first Indian woman to go to space. As a mission specialist and principal robotic arm operator, she made her first space flight on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 and completed 252 orbits of the earth in 15 days and 16 hours on this mission. Her second trip to space was on STS-107, Columbia's final voyage, in 2003. Kalpana was part of a 16-day space excursion dedicated to science and research. While entering Earth's atmosphere on its return, the space shuttle disintegrated, killing all seven crew members, including Kalpana Chawla. As per her request, her remains were cremated and dispersed at a national park in Utah, USA.

Kalpana Chawla's Personal life

Daughter of Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyothi Chawla, Kalpana Chawla was the youngest of four siblings. Chawla was enthralled by aircraft and flying ever since she was a child. She and her father used to go to nearby flying clubs to observe the planes. Soon after completing her primary education at Karnal, she pursued a degree in aeronautical engineering at the Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh. She relocated to the US in 1982 to pursue her dream of becoming an astronaut. She graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1984 with a master's in aeronautical engineering. The University of Colorado awarded her a doctorate in the same discipline in 1988. Kalpana Chawla, who was selected by NASA in December 1994, reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995 as a candidate for the 15th Group of Astronauts.
In 1983, she married Jean-Pierre Harrison.

Kalpana Chawla Awards

Both the Indian and American governments presented her with numerous medals and awards posthumously for her contributions to space and science studies. She bagged the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Space Flight Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
 

Kalpana Chawla Quotes

Kalpana Chawla had an inclination towards poetry and left behind certain words of motivation.

"The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it."

"Do something because you really want to do it. If you're doing it just for the goal and don't enjoy the path, then I think you're cheating yourself."

"Listen to the sounds of nature. Wishing you the best on your trek towards your dreams."