Name: Kalpana Chawla
Country: India
Birth Year: 1962
Ethnicity: Indian
About:
Kalpana was the first woman of Indian origin to travel into space. She worked as an and engineer and astronaut for NASA in the USA.
Rationale:
In an industry traditionally dominated by men, Kalpana surpassed expectations and not only broke into the industry, but smashed glass ceilings as a researcher, engineer and ultimately, spacewomen! In addition to her progress in the West, it’s important to bear in mind female empowerment is increasingly present in Indian cultures, yet patriarchal culture dominates. Despite this, Kalpana and her family didn’t let this lower her horizons. Instead, she moved to the US and walked new ground for Indian women everywhere.