HOUSTON, USA, February 2, 2003: Mr. B.L. Chawla lit a kuththuvilakku (oil lamp) at the Meenakshi Temple in Pearland, Texas, Sunday in memory of his daughter Kalpana, one of the astronauts who died aboard Columbia. More than 1,000 members of Houston’s Indian community gathered Sunday to mourn and celebrate the life of NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla. Chawla, a 41-year-old flight engineer who died aboard the shuttle Columbia on Saturday, was described as an inspiration to her fellow Indians and Indian-Americans, especially the youth. Chawla, a first-generation immigrant who became an astronaut in 1994, was the first Indian-born woman to fly into space. The tribute was mult- denominational and drew Indian-Americans of all persuasions. Many participated who subscribe to the Sikh faith and hail from the Punjab region of India, Chawla’s birthplace. Chawla’s religious affiliation is unclear, and HPI requests anyone with a definitive answer to e-mail ar@hindu.org.
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