‘I’m going to fly!’, this famous line which still lingers our mind is by none other than late Indian woman astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who lost her life with five others on the fateful day of February 1, 2003, in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Today, Kalpana Chawla would have turned 55 had she been alive to celebrate the occasion.

She was confident that she will become an astronaut one day, and followed her passion to make it a reality. Young and old still admire her zeal and enthusiasm. She is still talked and mentioned in the examples for her path breaking achievements, the world over.

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To pay tribute on her 55th birth anniversary, let’s remember Kalpana Chawla and her magnificent journey…

1. Her all-time famous quotes are:

“When you look at the stars and the galaxy, you feel that you are not just from any particular piece of land, but from the solar system.”

“The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it. Wishing you a great journey.”

“The coolest thing for me is the experience of floating and not feeling my weight. And hanging by a window just after sunset and watching the stars in the big black dome of the sky as the earth moves underneath.”

2. Space girl Kalpana Chawla made India proud when she made her maiden space voyage on November 19, 1997 along with six-astronaut crew in the Space Shuttle Columbia flight STS-87.

3. So far, Kalpana remains the first and last woman astronaut from India’s soil to take up space mission. Breaking the stereotype, she was also the second after cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma to do so who flew in 1984.

4. Again on January 16, 2003, Kalpana’s second space voyage came up where the team of seven took on a 16-day space mission in the STS-107.

5. Her second space mission will always be remembered as it was also her last one. On February 1, 2003, the ill-fated STS-107 got burnt and disintegrated over Texas while trying to make re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. The tragic incident happened just 16-minute prior the landing of their space shuttle.

6. She was posthumously awarded with Congressional Space Medal of Honor, NASA Space Flight Medal and NASA Distinguished Service Medal

7. Born on March 17, 1962, in Karnal, Haryana. She was the daughter of Banarasi Lal Chawla and Sanjyothi, and the youngest one among all four siblings. She married her flying instructor and aviation author Jean-Pierre Harrison in 1983.

8. To honour Kalpana Chawla on her 55th birth anniversary, the Haryana government is planning to inaugurate Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital on March 18.