Donald Trump hails Kalpana Chawla as an ‘American hero’
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has hailed Indian-origin Kalpana Chawla as an American hero for devoting her life to the space programme and inspiring millions of girls to become astronauts.
Trump’s remarks came on Monday as he issued a proclamation declaring May as ‘Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month’. The US Congress has also designated the month of May each year as “Asian/pacific American Heritage Month.”
Chawla was the first woman of Indian-origin in space. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003 when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
“Indian-american Kalpana Chawla was the first woman of Indian descent to fly in space, and became an American hero for her devotion to the Space Shuttle programme and its various missions transporting cargo and crew to and from the International Space Station,” Trump said.
For her achievements, the Congress posthumously awarded her the Congressional Space Medal of Honour, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) posthumously awarded her the NASA Space Flight Medal and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, he said. “Ms Chawla’s courage and passion continue to serve as an inspiration for millions of American girls who dream of one day becoming astronauts,” said Trump.