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On February 1st 2003, it was around 10:30pm
IST, I was watching CNN channel on my television. There was a news flash informing that the Columbia Space Shuttle had disintegrated
over Texas, USA. I was aware that Kalpana Chawla was aboard the space shuttle when it left for the journey on 16th January
2003. I was shell shocked. I was glued to the television the whole night expecting a news update which can inform that the
Columbia crew had survived. I was shattered to learn that all 7 astronauts had been killed. I was not able to digest
the fact the our own KC was no more. I switched on my personal computer and browsed the news item sites like CNN, BBC, MSNBC,
MSN, REDIFF, INDIATIMES and not to forget the NASA site. Kalpana was no more. I was dumbstuck and could not do anything. I
wanted to share my sadness and grief. I decided to write to the faculty of the aeronautical engineering dept of the colorado
university sharing my personal loss at the demise of Kalpana. I got a reply from a person who was at loss more than me at
the news of the shuttle catastrophe. She was Kalpana's buddy and they had studied together in the later part of the 1980's.
At that moment, I felt as if Kalpana herself wrote to me the e-mail. I started communicating with KC's friend and we began
to share lot of information and expoilts about KC. I read about many articles and news items concerning Kalpana and it was
just wonderful. I strongly feel the beauty of mankind is felt, when we realise the importance of a person only when they depart
from this world. Kalpana was and is an absolute bliss to mankind. Till today, I relish sharing my views about Kalpana with
her friend and I am grateful to her for giving me priceless inputs about Kalpana's works. With the excerpts she
has provided me about Kalpana's achievements, I have understood the principles of hard work, motivation, self-help and dare
to dream big. My life has changed for the good. Salutations to Kalpana.
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