'She was one of the seven best people in the world'

That the American print media has not spared words in covering the Columbia tragedy is a truism. What is refreshing is that equal play has been given to Kalpana Chawla as well.

'If Jeffrey C LaCombe, a NASA-sponsored researcher at University of Nevada, Reno, is accepted for astronaut training, he will have Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla to thank,' started a story in the Reno Gazette-Journal. Like scores of newspapers across the country, the RGJ also ran individual stories on the seven astronauts who had perished in space. The story focused on Chawla's interest in future researchers and astronauts, and her passionate interest in their progress. 

While The New York Times put her on page 1 on February 4 with a story from Karnal, along with the story on Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who also died in the tragedy, most other publications focused on the local reaction -- like the Houston Chronicle that ran a detailed story on a commemoration service at the local Hindu temple.

Most stories celebrated Chawla's humanity, simplicity and humility. Several, like the Oakland Tribune, carried her individual photograph on page 1 along with reports. In addition to stories from Karnal, mostly from news agencies, newspapers also ran stories celebrating Chawla as a role model for everyone.

'It is a very amazing story,' Michael Green, a scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center in Los Alamos who knew Chawla for over two decades, told the San Francisco Chronicle. 'I think it shows that if you have a dream, no matter how hard it is, you can achieve it. It just tells that space and space travel is for everybody.'

Chawla was so committed to her passion in space exploration that she was hoping to be on the first manned mission to Mars, several newspapers reported.

The San Jose Mercury News ran a detailed story on the religious service at the Bay Area temples, apart from a story on how a local radio station was reading letters and poems in her praise.

Instead of flowers, TaZa Radio's listeners were leaving messages of mourning and admiration for Chawla, a story on the Internet radio station said.

Chawla, who had lived for a time in Sunnyvale and worked at NASA/Ames Research Center, had many friends in the region.

Krishna and Ram Bapu, brothers who started TaZa Radio to help Indians around the world connect with their homeland, have been reading the messages as fast as they can, the Mercury News reported.

'People have been bombarding us, trying to express their feelings,' said Krishna Bapu. Many Silicon Valley techies who returned home following the Internet bust were also sending messages, he told the newspaper.

'The e-mails have been coming in every minute, actually,' Ram Bapu told the newspaper in San Jose. ‘What we're hearing is that Chawla was a bright and shining example of what we all should be.'

The Mercedes Sun-Star ran a story about how Kalpana Chawla had started preparing for her career with flying lessons at the Calaveras County Airport in California.

'She was brilliant -- you could tell that -- but she had a humble persona,' said Karen David, one of the instructors. 'She wasn't aloof or arrogant.'

The Davids, who attended the launch in 1997 when Chawla went into space for the first time, could not go this time.

The couple hosted a baby shower the day of the accident, not long after watching the news about Columbia on the television. 'I was giving a shower for a new life and it's ironic that this happened on the same day. The contrast was really clear,' Karen David told the Mercedes newspaper. 'She told me it was just so awesome to see Earth because it was so small and you realise how insignificant you really are.'

At the University of Texas at Arlington, campus newspaper The Shorthorn interviewed many Indian students who spoke of Chawla being a role model. She had received her master's degree from that school.

To Ajay Divekar the biggest tragedy of her death lies partly in the shared nationality, but more in human terms. ‘One thing I tell people is that apart from her being an [alumna] or being from India, she was one of the seven best people in the world -- the crème of society,' he told the newspaper. 'That is the worst thing.'

In Wausau, the Daily Herald remembered how four years ago Chawla had told fifth-graders in the Wausau School District to reach for the stars. Diane Trulen, a fifth-grade teacher at Franklin Elementary School in 1999 remembered how connected Chawla was and how she communicated with the kids.

'She smiled a lot, and I remember her being energetic,' Trulen said.

NASA researcher Michael Green is among the many people in America who have remained Chawla's friends for more than 20 years. What he remembers most about her is her pioneering spirit.

While living in the Bay Area, Chawla earned her pilot's license and later took up acrobatic flying, bringing many friends for rides.

'It was well known in that group that she really had a love for flying,' Green said. 'In the Lewis and Clark spirit, if you will.'