Punjab Engineering College (Deemed to be University) commemorated the death of one of the most distinguished and celebrated alumni of the Institute - Kalpana Chawla on her 19th Death anniversary. She graduated from the Aeronautical Engineering Department at PEC in 1982. She became the first woman of Indian origin to go to space in 2003, but she lost her life when her Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it reentered the atmosphere
The online event began with a brief introduction into the life of Kalpana Chawla followed by an address by the HOD of the Aerospace Engineering Department Dr. Tejinder Kumar Jindal. The Production and Design Club of PEC unveiled a documentary that showcases Kalpana Chawla's journey from PEC to becoming the first woman of Indian origin in space. Later in the evening, an online quiz based on her space shuttle missions was conducted by the students of PEC. Having been awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor (posthumously), and several streets, universities and institutions being named in her honor, Kalpana Chawla continues to be a huge inspiration for many across the country. Following her demise, the Prime Minister of India announced that the meteorological series of satellites, MetSat, was to be renamed ‘Kalpana’ in 2003. To commemorate this day, an online discussion was held for students to talk about how Kalpana Chawla was an inspiration to them.