Edge of Time: Harrison pens his memory of wife Kalpana Chawla

The biography has been written by Harrison,who was accompanied by Kalpana’s sister-in-law Anjali Chawla at the PEC function on Tuesday.

“For me,February 1,2003 is remembered as ‘from edge of space to edge of time’. Kalpana being a role model of so many young people,I wanted them to know her better and learn from her. This was the main inspiration behind writing this biography. Kalpana,just being herself,is one thing which I feel was the strongest point of her character that would be reflected in this book,” said Harrison. He added that though many directors and producers had approached him to bring Kalpana’s real life to reel,he had declined them all as he believed making a movie on her would require somebody of Kalpana’s stature.

Before the book release,Harrison and Anjali Chawla presented a memoir of Kalpana’s pictures showing her entire life — from her childhood to the time she was in the Columbia Space Shuttle,on her last journey. Each picture had a story,with one of them showing her learn karate,which she had started during her early days at PEC,after she was “ragged” by senior students. Kalpana was one of the first four girl students in the aeronautical engineering batch at PEC. She passed out as an aeronautical engineer in 1984.

From scuba diving,parachute training,flying,camping,space training to Bharatnatyam,Kalpana learnt everything she wanted to. “She would give 100 per cent to everything she did. She was very fond of children and this is one thing I feel sad about,because my children could not have her around during their growing up days,” said Anjali who knew Kalpana from her childhood days.

The event had the presence of Director,Board of Governors,Chandra Mohan,PEC University of Technology Director Dr Manoj Datta,Training and Placement Officer Dr K K Garg,Dean Academic Affairs Dr Sanjeev Sofat and other faculty members. It started with the video screening of a song that Lata Mangeshkar had dedicated to Kalpana Chawla.

Harrison also donated Kalpana Chawla’s favourite books to the Kalpana Chawla hostel’s library of PEC University of Technology. Publishers of the book were also present at the release function. Dr Manoj Datta gifted Harrison and Anjali the souvenir of Kalpana Chawla’s batch as a token of memory. Harrison gave away signed copies of the book to a few students.