Kalpana Chawla

Born and raised in India, Kalpana Chawla was discouraged from pursuing a career in aeronautical engineering because there were limited career options for women in that field. But she persisted, getting her degree and then moving to the US to obtain other, more advanced education before joining NASA and becoming the first Indian-born woman to go to space. Though she was killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, she continues to inspire girls in India and around the world to pursue their dreams of spaceflight. 

To one day become an astronaut for NASA, Kalpana knew she would have to leave India. When she was accepted into the University of Texas, she immigrated. Although life was different, she spent her time learning more about aviation, hiking, swimming, and scuba diving. She also met Jean-Pierre and got married. 

Kalpana and four thousand other applicants applied to the NASA Astronaut Corps! Kalpana was one of only nineteen people who were accepted. Although training was difficult, Kalpana continued to reach for the stars. She was able to go into space as a mission specialist. During a mission in space, “some people said that Kalpana had made a mistake in her work.” This didn’t stop her. Later, an investigation found that Kalpana “had not made any mistakes. Sometimes, things don’t work out exactly as we plan. But that doesn’t mean we quit. Kalpana certainly didn’t.”  

While living in India, Kalpana’s teachers and her father did not support her. However, her father was proud of Kalpana’s accomplishments. Kapana’s father gives other parents advice: “Just listen to your daughters, listen to what they have to say. They want to study, let them. Support them. Make sure they have all that they need to simply focus on their education.” 

Unfortunately, Kalpana was on the Columbia space shuttle when it exploded. Even though her life ended early, she is still admirable because of her hard work and dedication. She is an inspiration to many people because she overcame many obstacles. In addition, she reminds us that all people have potential. During an interview, Kalpana said, “When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are not just from any particular piece of land but from the solar system. I could extend the whole thing—maybe one day people will go to other galaxies, and then what would we say? Where did we come from? ‘I am a resident of the Milky Way.’”  

She Persisted: Kalpana Chawla Young will inspire readers to reach for their dreams. The book ends with a list of ways readers can be persistent. To encourage a reader’s curiosity about space, add these books to your reading list: A is for Astronaut: Blasting Through the Alphabet by Clayton Anderson, Jada Jones Sky Watcher by Kelly Starling Lyons and Mousetronaut by Mark Kelly. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• In 2003, Kalpana and other astronauts were returning to Earth. “As the Columbia shuttle reentered Earth’s atmosphere, tragedy struck, and the shuttle broke apart. All the astronauts on board, including Kalpana, died that day.”  
• During the recovery mission, “two official members of the recovery team, Jules F. Mier and Charles Krenek, also lost their lives. . .” 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None

Language  

• None

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None