Date:10/02/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/02/10/stories/2003021003581200.htm

National

Bharat Ratna sought for Kalpana

A batch mate of Kalpana Chawla paying homage to the late astronaut at a function organised by the Punjab Engineering College Old Boys Association in New Delhi on Sunday. — Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

NEW DELHI FEB. 9. Family members, teachers and college mates of Kalpana Chawla today demanded that the India-born U.S. astronaut — who died in the Columbia space shuttle crash — be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.

At a function organised here by the Punjab Engineering College Old Boys Association in Kalpana's memory, the association president, Amarjit Singh Kohli, proposed her name for the award, which was endorsed by every one present.

Kalpana's uncle, Amrik Chand Chawla, her aunts, Sujata and Kanta Gulati, and other family members were present along with eight of her batch mates to pay homage.

Kalpana had done aeronautical engineering from the Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, in 1982.

PTI