Remembering Kalpana Chawla – the woman who taught girls to dream of wings

Kalpana Chawla, an American astronaut and the first woman of Indian origin in space, was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster when the craft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003. Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-born woman and the second Indian person to fly in space after astronaut Rakesh Sharma. Fifteen years after her death, she continues to inspire all, especially young women who aspire to be astronauts. Kalpana Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.