TN govt invites applications for Kalpana Chawla bravery awards

Chennai, May 31 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government on Monday invited applications from women of the state for the Kalpana Chawla bravery awards.The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a citation and will be presented on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15.A statement from the Tamil Nadu government said that the awards are given for daring acts of courage.Applicants must send their comprehensive bio-data along with the supporting documents to the office of the secretary to the state government. The applicationss must be accompanied by a recommendation letter from the district collector concerned. The applications can also be submitted online at https://awards.tn.gov.in/, on or before June 30.The awardees will be selected by a committee constituted by the state government.On February 1, 2003, a space shuttle -- Columbia flight STS-107 -- had disintegrated over Texas during its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. The disaster killed a seven-member crew, including Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian woman to go to space.
--IANS aal/arm