Kalpana Chawla death anniversary: How JRD Tata inspired her to become an astronaut

Kalpana Chawla had first heard of JRD Tata piloting an aircraft in 1982.

Kalpana Chawla, an American-Indian astronaut and the first Indian-born woman to go to space, was among the seven astronauts who lost their lives as the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated while reentering the earth’s atmosphere on February 1, 2003.

Often remembered as an extraordinary woman, Chawla continues to inspire a large number of people, especially young women, to pursue their dreams relentlessly. But, not many know that she was inspired by JRD Tata to become an astronaut.

This October 2001 NASA file image shows the seven STS-107 crew members posing for the traditional crew portrait. Seated in front are astronauts Rick D. Husband, mission commander; Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist; and William C. McCool, pilot.

The connection was discovered by author Harish Bhat when he was working on his book '#Tata Stories: 40 Timeless Tales to Inspire You'.

Speaking to Moneycontrol in June 2021, Bhat had said, "I picked it (Chawla's anecdote) up to demonstrate to readers that when you do something which is courageous and pioneering, it has so many ripple effects, it also inspires so many others around you."

According to him, as a young woman, Chawla had first heard of JRD Tata piloting an aircraft in 1982. He was commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the inaugural air mail flight that he had flown in 1932.

Tata did this when he was at an advanced age of 78, particularly to inspire hope and enthusiasm amongst young people in the country. And it did inspire Chawla, in her aspirations to become an astronaut.

She carried a photograph of Tata’s inaugural flight along with her on her first mission into space.

The photo of JRD Tata that Kalpana Chawla carried with her on her first space mission. (Image credit: Harish Bhat on LinkedIn)

Read more: US spacecraft named after late Indian-American astronaut Kalpana Chawla

Some time after her death in 2003, Chawla’s family wrote to the Chairman of the Tata Group, Ratan Tata. "This was a unique letter, because it enclosed some special memorabilia," Bhat wrote in a LinkedIn post.

"There was a crew autographed group picture of the Space Shuttle Mission STS-87, (her first Space Shuttle Mission), a pair of medallions commemorating her two space journeys, and an old black and white photograph. This was the photograph of JRD Tata’s inaugural mail flight, which Kalpana Chawla had carried along with her, on her first mission into space."

The treasured photographs that Chawla’s family sent to Ratan Tata are now displayed in the Tata Archives in Pune, just outside the beautifully re-created office of JRD Tata, which is a highlight at these Archives. "This was done in line with her family’s request, so that this unique tribute to the man who inspired her, rests just outside his door," said Bhat.