The sale of a comic book on the life and achievements of India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who died in the Columbia space shuttle disaster in February 2003, have sky-rocketed.
The 32-page book has been published by India Book House is aimed at children between seven and 14 years, a spokesperson for the publishing house said today.
Chawla was the first American female astronaut of Indian origin to have gone on a National Aeronautics Space Administration mission. She was one of the seven members aboard the space shuttle that disintegrated minutes before landing.
The book chronicles Chawla's life from her birth in Karnal, Haryana to the time she became an astronaut.
"The book hopes to teach our children that they should be somebody people are proud of", the spokesperson said.
The book is a part of the Amar Chitra Katha series. "Over the last 35 years, IBH has created comics on various mythological, historical figures and now, contemporary heroes", the spokesperson said.
The book is being picked up by both kids and adults eager to read its portrayal of Chawla's life, from her childhood dreams of flying to her becoming an American citizen and an astronaut.
IBH publisher Padmini Mirchandani said 10,000 copies were printed. "It normally takes six months for these many copies to be sold but Indians around the world have bought copies over the Web and most stores in India have sold out their stocks," she said. This has prompted IBH to start a second printing, she added.