Since their establishment, the memorials to Kalpana Chawla at UTA have served as a lasting tribute to her legacy, inspiring students and honoring her out-of-this-world achievements.
A UTA alumna and NASA astronaut, Chawla made history as the first Indian woman to reach space. However, on Feb. 1, 2003, Chawla and six other astronauts died as the Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry after 16 days in orbit, 16 minutes before landing. Her legacy is still commemorated 22 years later with memorials at Kalpana Chawla Hall and the atrium of Nedderman Hall.
On May 3, 2010, UTA dedicated a display in honor of Chawla’s memory with items donated by her husband, Jean-Pierre Harrison. The memorial in Nedderman Hall includes one of Chawla's flight suits, several photographs and historical and biographical information.
Computer science major Mohith Ramugowda said Chawla has inspired him and many other students from India. He said her contributions to NASA and her many accomplishments make him aspire to achieve something in his life.
Rimpy Singh, UTA aerospace engineering alumna, said she has always been passionate about the sky and the reason she chose to come to this university is because Chawla attended.
“She is my guiding path,” Singh said. “Because of her, it was really easy for me to decide which college I was supposed to go, which path I was supposed to be down.”
Kalpana Chawla Hall, a residence hall built in 2004, is dedicated to the fallen astronaut and features a memorial inside for students to reflect on.
Singh said the memorials motivated her in her studies. Chawla’s passion and achievements inspired her, and seeing her name and pictures on buildings made Singh want to achieve the same.
Ramugowda felt the same drive. “This memorial is something actually invokes that inspiration for us that we have to achieve something, that motivation and everything,” he said.
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