Today's news paper carries a news which delights every Indian.Sunita Williams, an astronaut working for the prestigious NASA is set fly to space in 2012.its not the first trip for her but then an experience like that must have a stupendous feeling every time one goes for a stroll in space.Sunita is of Indian descent from her father's side ,reason enough to brand her as a global Indian.
Another Indian,this time a true blue daughter of the soil, was equally if not more lauded for her accomplishments at NASA.Sadly the tryst with destiny didn't end happily and we lost a gem in the skies.But Kalpana Chawla lives on as an inspiration for every girl in the subcontinent.
Surprisingly her story of success started from the heartland of the most brutal atrocities against women that the country has ever witnessed.How ironical that the girls from the birthplace of Kalpana never live long enough to see the light of the day or darkness of the night lit up by the innumerable stars.Their life goes into the eternal darkness,the very same one resides in the heart of the people which drives them to commit such heinous acts.
Where is the honour for killing a sister, a daughter, a mother or any girl? Kalpana Chawla got married to an American, a foreigner who had no caste. And she brought honour to an entire country and to womankind.
Educated families drive their daughters to a life full of misery in the name of "knowing what is better for my child".A daughter is sent to school or college not for the education but to get better matches for them.The daughters will serve as pretty trophies for their husbands in high places.
How many talents did we lose in this circus of honour and dishonour?how many Kalpanas or Sunitas left their dreams of flying to the skies in lieu of bringing honour to the family?
A woman having a way with words or even her own way of life is seen as a threat,an instrument of dishonour.How can a nation dream of reaching the pinnacle of its development if it doesn't have its women standing along with the men,not behind them? Every successful man doesn't have a woman behind him but standing there right beside him.
