Kalpana's Biographical Data:
http://www.sulekha.com/redirectnh.asp?cid=290616

Thanks in advance to Indiacause.

Here is the letter that someone sent to the MSNBC editors through Sulekha.

At a time when everyone is grieving over the death of some of our most talented and dedicated people, it is disheartening to see that MSNBC has chosen to focus instead on the supposed mistake made by the one of the crew members, the only Indian-American, in it's profile of the "Fallen Voyagers".

Did the other astronauts never commit any mistake? If the "mistakes" she made in her previous flight were so grave, why would NASA send her back up again? And speaking of mistakes, obviously there was someone else who made a far graver mistake causing these people to lose their lives in such a horrendous way, not even allowing their relatives the consolation of being able to grieve over their physical bodies.

Only one word comes to mind: Racism. Pure unadulterated racism from MSNBC. Disgusting to say the least.

I was extremely upset when i read the profile for DR.Kalpana Chawla on MSNBC's interactive feature on the Columbia disaster. She was a woman who achieved what most people only dream about.Why should one astronaut be singled out for past mistakes,especially when an obviously grave error has cost them their lives...the fact that she was chosen for this mission meant that NASA belived she was the best for the job.MSNBC cannot be the judge of that.It is most disrespectful.Is it possible for Indiacause to move MSNBC to issue a retraction and an apology?

Hey,
check out the profile now...MSNBC has changed its earlier negative comment...it now has a comment by Dr.Kalpana Chawla on how she became an astronaut

I also have noticed today how the entire TV media has provided personal detils and stories about the families of all the astronauts EXCEPT Kalpana Chawla.

Apparently Bush did not speak to her family because "they were not available" Is this true.

Is the loss of Kalpana Chawla is not equal to the loss of all other 6 Astronauts because she is a naturalised US citizen and a Brownie??

prakash and all,

i am sending mail to members this morning. can you provide me the 'contact id' for the last link?

it says from CNN. Has CNN also done the same mischief?

if any specfic link on CNN, i can include that also.


thx
mj

But, the job is not complete yet. We have to write to the press trust and Associated Press in USA which supplied these details to CNN, MSNBC and all others.

its true that AP and other have provided the inof. but that is two statements in about 200 lines info of kalpana

but those who profiled her - MSNBC and Newsacpe (or whatever that is) they picked that statement very specifically.

if you want to search more if there are any then i can wait for few hours.

provide me if there are any more. our people will certatinly beat all those who did it with stik.

especially in few lines profile. (not in big report. there we can not complain much)

thx
mj

On her first spaceflight, in 1996, she was blamed for making mistakes, as the prime robotic arm operator, which sent a science satellite tumbling out of control. However, a post-flight NASA evaluation absolved her of blame.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/shuttle_chawlabio030201.html

Mahendra,
I am trying to find if there are more sites badmouthing her.

Mahendra,
If NASA really absolved her of blame (I believe that it did because of the fact that she was sent the second time and the abc news link), badmouthing her is
WRONG - whether in a 6 line report or 200 line report.

that is a good link. AP is the culprit behind all this.

hope one day we shall take on AP News (successfully)

I have got few more feedback in mail. we shall address them all together.

i shall wait till afternoon. hope we get some contact ids till then.

thx
mj