Kalpana Chawla, born on March 17, 1962, in Karnal, Haryana, was an Indian-American astronaut and aerospace engineer. She earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College in 1982, becoming the first woman to enroll in the program. She then moved to the United States, where she completed a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. In 1994, she joined NASA as an astronaut candidate. Her first spaceflight was aboard Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-87 in 1997, where she spent 15 days, 16 hours, and 34 minutes in space. She returned to space on January 16, 2003, for mission STS-107, also aboard Columbia. Tragically, on February 1, 2003, during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, the shuttle disintegrated, resulting in the loss of all seven crew members, including Chawla. She was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Space Flight Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Her legacy continues to inspire generations, with numerous institutions and awards named in her honor. Kalpana Chawla's life exemplifies dedication, courage, and the pursuit of dreams beyond boundaries.