01 February - Kalpana Chawla died in 2003

On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Among the seven astronauts who lost their lives in the tragedy was Kalpana Chawla, an Indian-American astronaut. Kalpana Chawla had previously been on the Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS-107, which aimed to conduct various scientific experiments.

Born on July 1, 1961, in Karnal, Haryana, India, Kalpana Chawla became the first woman of Indian origin in space. She first flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1997 as a mission specialist and primary robotic arm operator. The loss of the Columbia and its crew was a significant and tragic event in the history of space exploration.

.Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor,and several streets, universities, and institutions have been named in her honor.She is regarded as a role model in India.