Kalpana Chawla was a renowned astronaut and the first female Indian to go to space. Born in Karnal, India, on July 1, 1961, Chawla was the youngest of four children. Growing up as a confident, outgoing girl, she selected her name. The name Kalpana means “idea” or “imagination.” Her natural curiosity, independent nature, and delight in discovering how things worked were encouraged by her hardworking and supportive mother, Sanjyothi Chawla. Sanjyothi ensured that all her daughters had access to equal education during a time when schooling was considered an unnecessary luxury for girls. Chawla was an exemplary student who enjoyed subjects such as English, Hindi, and geography; science being her favorite. She was a very active girl who enjoyed many activities, such as dancing, cycling, running, and badminton. With her short hair, natural face, and a rare attention to fashion, Chawla was considered a tomboy.
During her time, Karnal was one of the few Indian towns with a flying club called the Karnal Aviation Club. Seeing as she lived just a few kilometers from the club facility, Chawla would often climb up to her roof to watch the roaring planes fly above her, waving at the pilot if the aircraft flew low over her house. One of Chawla’s school teachers recalls the question the inquisitive girl had once asked her: “How can people be divided into classes, sects, and religions when they all look alike from the sky?” Chawla graduated from Tagore School, Karnal, India, in 1976. She later earned her bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Punjab Engineering College, India, in 1982. Chawla secured the third rank in her batch, becoming the first woman aeronautical engineer to pass, from her college. Soon after, she immigrated to the United States. A successful academic record and active involvement in the PEC’s Aero and Astro Society guaranteed Chawla easy admission into the Master’s course in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas, USA. In 1984, she graduated from the University of Texas with her Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering. In 1988, she earned her doctorate of philosophy in aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado, USA. Upon the completion of her doctorate, Chawla began her employment at NASA’s Ames Research Center, working on power-lift computational fluid dynamics.
In March 1995, Chawla reported to the Johnson Space Center as an astronaut candidate in the 15th Group of Astronauts. After a full of year training, she became a crew representative for the Astronaut Office EVA/Robotics and Computer Branches. Chawla worked with Robotic Situational Awareness Displays and tested software for space shuttles. From November 1996 to December 1997, she was assigned as a mission specialist and prime robotic arm operator on space shuttle STS-87. During her first mission, Chawla traveled 6.5 million miles in 252 orbits of the Earth, logging 376 hours and 34 minutes in space. In 2003, she became the first flight engineer and mission specialist on the Columbia STS-107 space shuttle. On February 1, the mission came to an unexpected stop when the space shuttle, Columbia, and its crew perished during entry, 16 minutes before the scheduled landing.
At age 41, Chawla made the ultimate sacrifice and lost her life in service to her nation and the space program. In 2010, the University of Texas dedicated a Kalpana Chawla memorial at the Arlington College of Engineering. At the time of opening, the display included a flight suit, photographs, insight into her life, and a flag, which flew over the Johnson Space Center during a memorial for the Columbia astronauts. Despite her busy schedule, Chawla stayed in contact with her school and college in India. In response to her efforts, two students from Tagore Bal Niketan were allowed the opportunity to visit NASA, every year. In honor of her dedicated and extraordinary life, many institutions named numerous facilities after Chawla: a NASA supercomputer, a hill on Mars, an asteroid, a planetarium in Kurukshetra, and India’s first weather satellite called ‘Kalpana 1’.
Kalpana Chawla’s legacy lives on with each young woman who aspires to reach their goals. Her accomplishments leave a lasting impact on other women, demonstrating that with courage, sacrifice, and hard work, dreams do come true.
“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. Wishing you a great journey.”
-Kalpana Chawla
Researcher : Sumiyah Miya
Writer: Shanthi Ashok
Editor: Pia Jemin Mehta
Sources:
https://history.nasa.gov/columbia/Troxell/Columbia%20Web%20Site/Biographies/Crew%20Profile%20Information/Crew%20Biographies/ASTRON~1.HTM
https://www.space.com/17056-kalpana-chawla-biography.html
https://www.hindustantimes.com/more-lifestyle/kalpana-chawla-birth-anniversary-here-are-lesser-known-facts-about-the-first-woman-of-indian-origin-to-fly-to-space/story-s4Tvj78xVDw1jUUx69XywI.html
https://www.amfcse.org/kalpana-chawla
https://www.thebetterindia.com/91797/kalpana-chawla-karnal-haryana-nasa-columbia/#:~:text=Her%20father%20Banarasi%20Lal%20Chawla,to%20provide%20for%20his%20family.&text=Born%20on%20March%2017%2C%201962,Kalpana%20was%20a%20precocious%20child.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/lesser-known-facts-and-quotes-of-by-kalpana-chawla-the-indian-american-astronaut
Excellent article about Kalpana Chawla. Well written.