M A I N   N E W S

Karnal engulfed in grief
Tribune Reporters

Citizens of Karnal also organised a prayer meeting at Biradari Bhavan in Model Town in memory of the departed soul. Tributes were paid to her by prominent citizens.

Hardly anybody from amongst the blood relations of Kalpana Chawla lives here. Her parents, brothers, uncles and aunts had shifted to Delhi long time ago. However, old folks here remember the contribution of her grandfather Bhagat Labha Ram in the social and spiritual fields. Bhagatji, as he was popularly known, was responsible for the construction of the imposing building of Nirmal Kutia on the GT Road where free meals are provided to the poor three times a day.

Kalpana’s father, Mr Banarsi Lal Chawla, had a tyre manufacturing industry here in the name of Super Tyres.

SHIMLA: Dr Suraj Bhan, Governor on Sunday expressed grief over the demise of Kalpana Chawla. In his condolence message to the bereaved family, the Governor said Kalpana Chawla was a brilliant and eminent scientist and had brought laurels to the country and Haryana in particular. Mr P.K. Dhumal, Chief Minister, has also expressed grief.

YAMUNANAGAR: The Inner Wheel Club (District 308) on Sunday mourned the death of Kalpana. Mrs Anita Saluja, district chairman, said in Kalpana’s death India had lost a jewel, who had brought India glory.

Mr Raj Kumar Tyagi, district Congress president, at a meeting here on Sunday, mourned the death of Kalpana. He said it was a grave loss to the nation.

Mr Randhir Singh, state president of the Saheed Bhagat Singh Samaj Sewa Morcha (Haryana), also mourned the death of Kalpana.

FATEHABAD: The death of Kalpana has sent shock waves among people here. Eversince the news of the crash of the space shuttle Columbia was flashed on television channels, people have been glued to television sets. People watched news on television sets till late in the night on Saturday. The mood was sombre as prayers were held at many places today.

Noted satirist Lok Setia described it as a big tragedy. He said Kalpana had made not only Haryana, but the entire country proud. He said the best tribute the younger generation could pay to the brave woman would be to emulate her.

Ms Leela Jaswal, Principal of the local Mother Teresa Public School, said, “Kalpana will never die as the likes of her never die in the minds of people”.

The Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee secretary, Mr Ram Raj Mehta, said Kalpana had made Haryana proud.

Students recall Kalpana’s hospitality
Tribune News Service

Karnal, February 2
“Follow your dream. The people around you may not support you, but you have to make your dream come true come what may.” This is how Neha Sharma, a student of Tagore Bal Niketan, Kalpana Chawla’s Alma Mater, sums up the success mantra of the late astronaut.

Neha, who spent the “time of her life” with Kalpana last year in the USA, is yet to come to terms with the tragedy, but the inspiration she got from the most famous NRI from Haryana is enough for the rest of her life to achieve her goals. Similar is the case of students, who had a rare chance to meet Kalpana.

In fact, Neha and her schoolmates had fond memories of “Didi’s hospitality in the USA”. Though a US citizen, Didi was an Indian at heart. Neha’s friend, Sanpreet, who visited the USA last year, recalled how Didi, despite her busy schedule, had prepared Indian food for them. Her home resembled a “mini-India and we did not have an inkling that we were in an alien land,” added Gaurav, who went to the USA in 1999.

As the news of the Columbia crash reached the city, her school was celebrating the second space success of its own girl. However, no one knew that bad news was to follow — the news that shook the entire city and it was hard to believe, observed Ms Renu Munjal, who helped two students to make it to the USA every year. Kalpana used to sponsor the tour of two students from Tagore Bal Niketan to the USA every year.

Terming her “very humble yet determined”, Mr Munjal said she was the source of inspiration for the Indian youth. A jovial person, Kalpana hid her tough posture from the rest of the world. She was an Indian at heart, she added.

And as a token of her appreciation, Ms Munjal proudly displayed a letter written by Kalpana. It reads: “Much impressed by students. The confidence the school (Tagore Niketan) has instilled in the students stands out. It is obvious that you are still working hard. What a gold-mine you have!”

Residents felt that she always dreamt of stars. Showing the room she was born in at the Model Town here, Mr Vijay Sethia, a close relative, told The Tribune that she made it a point to sleep in the courtyard in the summers. She felt that by sleeping in the open she was more close to stars. She had promised to come to Karnal this year, a promise that remained unfulfilled, a visibly upset Mr Sethia said, adding that she would always be with us.

Polytechnic to be named after Kalpana
Tribune News Service

Gurgaon, February 2
The Haryana Cabinet will soon adopt a resolution, urging the Centre to give an award posthumously to India-born American astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who was part of the crew on the ill-fated space shuttle Columbia.

The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, who was here today, said the Centre would be urged to adorn the Karnal-born scientist with a national award befitting her achievements and the supreme sacrifice she made for the cause of the mankind.

In honour of the Kalpana, the government has also decided to institute scholarships for girls enrolled in the 31 engineering colleges in the state. The scholarship amount would be Rs 2,000. It will be given to the first five girl students from the 31 engineering colleges on the basis of their overall marks in the first year of the degree courses. The scholarship money would be for the remaining four years of their courses.

One of the three women polytechnic colleges in Faridabad, Ambala and Sirsa will be named after the space scientist.

Earlier, presiding over a public function related to his government’s Sarkaar Aapke Dwar programme here, he observed a two-minute silence, along with the audience in memory of the scientist. Addressing the gathering, he said Kalpana had brought recognition not only to Haryana, but to the entire country.

Schools, offices closed in Haryana

Karnal, February 2
The Haryana Government today announced a two-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Kalpana Chawla, who was killed along with six others when the space shuttle Columbia crashed yesterday. The announcement was made by the Haryana Chief Secretary, Mr A.N. Mathur, at a state-level prayer meeting held here. All government offices and educational institutions will remain closed as a mark of respect to the late astronaut on February 3. The government has also instituted Kalpana Chawla Gold Medal. It would be given every year to the girl standing first in the matriculation examination, Mr Mathur added. TNS