Haryana govt to institute award after Kalpana Chawla

The Haryana government on Tuesday decided to institute Kalpana Chawla Haryana Solar Award, named after the India-born US astronaut, to encourage the participation of scientists in solar sector.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the Haryana Cabinet here, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Besides according approval for instituting the award, the Cabinet also gave approval for signing of memorandum of understanding between International Solar Alliance (ISA), which is aimed at promoting solar energy across the countries falling in the tropic of cancer and capricorn, and the state government.

The ISA is a treaty-based body which intends to promote solar energy in the 121 tropical countries.

"The objective of Kalpana Chawla Haryana Solar Award scheme is to create a platform for participation of women and men scientists in solar energy sector..," it was decided in the cabinet meeting, an official release said.

It said such awards will encourage their participation in solar sector and provide them a platform to access affordable, reliable and sustainable energy across 121 prospective member countries of ISA.

It will help in achieving the universal goal of sustainable energy for all, it said.

"The award has been instituted in the fond memory of Kalpana Chawla, the daughter of Haryana," it said.

The entries for the award will be invited from the eligible scientists every year by writing to embassies of all member countries.

Research scholars from all the academic and scientific institutes based in the 121 member countries of ISA will be eligible to apply.

Chawla, 40, was the first woman of Indian-origin in space. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Colombia disaster in 2003 when the spacecraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.