Kalpana continued her association with her school in Karnal. On her first space flight in 1997, she asked the school to send a T-shirt to carry with her as a souvenir.
In 1998 the International Space School Foundation at NASA asked Kalpana to suggest some Indian students for a summer programme. She suggested inviting students from her school.
Namita Alung and Sanpreet Kaur, who were selected for the programme, fondly remember Kalpana didi. Sanpreet recalls, "When we were at NASA, I was sick of eating American food. One day, Kalpana didi took us home and cooked chole, aloo gobi and paranthas."
"To be with her was an experience of a lifetime and we carefully heard every word she said," the girls said.
Sanpreet Kaur (left) and Namita Alung, students of Tagore Bal Niketan, with Kalpana Chawla
Inset: Namita and Sanpreet at Kalpana's Texas home
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Photo: Sondeep Shankar/Saab Press