Kalpana Chawla - Unnecessary Hype

Recently I had vowed not to hurt anyones sentiments through my blog but this topic is too tempting.Everytime I read about Kalpana Chawla or the satellite that carries her name strangely I get furious...The recent act by one of our ministers in which he dedicated a new scheme to her forced me into writing this post.

Disclaimer:- I have nothing against Kalpana as such, she is indeed a big achiever and it takes a lot to reach where she did. I have ensured not to talk ill of her anywhere in this post but if you do find any instances pls let me know and I will strip them immediately.I am upset only with the hype.


My Reasons

Kalpana what she is portayed to be?

1) An Indian Space Heroine

2) An inspiration for all Indian Women

3) A significant contributer to Indian Civilization

4) A good great Indian who has made India proud.


What India had done to acknowledge the above 4 points?

1) Gave a Satellite her name

2) Lessons in school syllabi based on her

3) Schemes and policies in her name

4) Lot of bloated hype


What she actually is?

1) A naturalized American

2) Someone who ditched India for greener pastures in 1982 and was just another NRI for the next 20 odd years.I dont say going abroad is wrong, but somehow who went abroad, stayed there , became a citizen,dint contribute much to their country during those 20 years of absence really did ditch their motherland

3) Just another astronaut who died in a failed space ship landing

4) An absolutely insignificant contributor to India's glory , pride or Civilization

5) An inspiration to few, but come one any famous person especially NRI can become an inspiration eg: Swaraj Paul,Lakshmi Mittal,Padma Lakshmi


Then why this hype?

1) Cos she is dead and somehow this world likes praising people posthumously.

2) Sympathy

3) She was born in India and is a Woman(gimme a break, had it been a man he definitely wouldn't have a satellite in his name)

4) Politics and Politicians - they like hyping things up to get recognition.


What would have been ideal?

1) 1 day national mourning

2) A photograph of hers at ISRO(I am pretty sure thats already there)


Some more pointers:-

1) There is no satellite named after India's first astronaut in space - Rakesh Sharma

2) I dont think tamilnadu state board school sylabii has a lesson on "Lala Lajpat rai" or "Dr.Radhakrishnan"

3) All this hype wouldn't happen had she died of heart attack or even a car crash

4) And she dint even say anything patriotic about India during her space voyage.Atleast Rakesh sharma said "Sare jahan se acha".This is all that I guess she quoted

5) Most important of them all she is NOT Indian, she is India born American.

cheers,
Badrinath.V.S :-)