The day Sunita Williams was to zoom off into space was a day I chose to spend with the father of Kalpana Chawla. These are some musings from Karnal.
Discovery Time in
Kalpana Chawla town
“Mankind's search for the unknown is a never-ending ‘havan’, and many have to contribute the ahuti to it. My daughter gave her life not in vain; it was her ahuti for knowledge and wisdom. Citizens of the earth want to see success in a mission of which Kalpana was part. May Discovery discover the unknown for the greater good of mankind.''
Astronaut Kalpana Chawla is seen in this typical middle-class north Indian township as a martyr and her 74-year-old father Banarsi Das Chawla as a saintly figure. An unbelievably large number in Karnal can reel off facts about shuttle launches, and recall for the word Discovery means a shuttle, and not just a TV channel.
In Bal Niketan School in Karnal, where Kalpana Chawla studied, children do quick calculations to arrive at the IST for Discovery launch time. “Kalpana started a journey. The world will now have to finish it successfully. That would be the real homage,” a child said.
Chawlas' house in Model Town area in Karnal is almost a pilgrimage centre and Banarsi Das has long become used to strangers dropping in to talk about Kalpana. Kalpana's younger uncle has actually turned a ‘sant’ and rechristened himself as Sant Amrik Dev. Humility comes naturally to Kalpana's family. Banarsi Das spends most of his time in a non-descript room at Nirmal Dham, the school for underprivileged children and home to senior citizens which he runs.
Karnal doesn't have a bigger hero, though it has hopes of churning out new ones too. After all, Kalpana was responsible for the visits of a number of kids at Bal Niketan to NASA, a tradition her husband has kept up.
In Karnal, Kalpana Chawla is a strong metaphor, meaning an achiever. Thanks to her family, it is now a metaphor for being a philanthropist. A Chawla school, a college, a hall … a whole Kalpna Chawla industry has sprung up; only there are no profits to be made.
Being father of a daughter for whom being up there at cloud nine was a phrase too pedestrian; Banarsi Das too does better than seeing Kalpana as only a great Indian hero. “It is the media that made her Indian, she never said that. When asked this question she said she was not born for one corner of the universe,” he quotes the Roman philosopher Seneca. And is sure Sunita Williams will have similar views.
In the dusty streets of Mochi Mohalla, the Chawla family runs another institution for the children of rag pickers, cobblers and scavengers. “My younger brother used to look after these three schools. Now he has asked me to help him look after these institutions,” says Chawla, adding, “It is as important as watching a daughter go to space.”
Journalists at times pester him all day, but he doesn’t forget to offer them food. The atmosphere is easy, the TV is on. Like many of her age, Chawla exhibits his distaste for politics and politicians and asks a journo to shut off the TV. Just then comes the news about the impending launch of Discovery shuttle and he is all ears. The ghosts of February 2003 do not break him down; if he has any demons from the painful memories of the past, he battles them alone in his heart.
So now, over three years after the mishap, how does he remember his daughter? “Scientists and her colleagues keep on visiting us and telling us how proud they are of her achievements. They also invited us to the United States where a hall has been named after Kalpana at the University of Texas at Arlington. These and her memories are enough for us,” he adds.
Most of her old associates will be glued to TV. Kalpana was the first girl to secure admission in Aeronautical Engineering and had formed Aeronautical and Astronomical society in PEC as a student.
Karnal is the kind of dusty town where middle class girls trying to learn riding a mobike still become a subject of gossip and getting married to a rich man and beget children for him is a dream for many. But try suggesting that to a Karnal girl and you will be shocked. “I am deciding whether I should go to NASA or join the Indian Mission for Moon,” a little nine-year-old was discussing life's big dilemma with me. “You sure you can do that kind of thing?” I asked him. “Have you heard of Kalpana Chawla?” he snapped back. For a moment, I fell mum. “And have you heard of Sunita Williams?” he wasn't in a kind mood. I thought it better to withdraw. You see where kids have real space walkers as role models, the dreams to touch the stars are pretty determined. I touched Banarsi Das’ feet and leave. Like everyone else, I too needed some star dust. ■
December 9, 2006