Kalpana Chawla Bommai
- Author: The Smritsonian
- Publisher: The Smritsonian
- ISBN:
The first woman of Indian origin to go into space, Kalpana went from a small town in Haryana, to a NASA space mission. She's an inspiration for more girls to take up STEM subjects and to dream big.
With her trademark strong brows and thick hair, she made up of pure cotton, and can be dry-cleaned or wiped clean with a damp cloth. Kalpana Bommai's clothes are washable and sourced from local manufactures. Her flight suit can be put back in the place with a few buttons that are easy for little fingers. She wears removable hand-crocheted boots and helmet.
The Smritsonian is a pandemic baby, born as much out of necessity and despair, as optimism and solidarity. Journalist and writer Smriti Lamech found herself confined to a cottage in the Palani Hills, due to the unexpected and ill-planned lockdown. She was not able to head back home to Gurgaon, and her work. Instead, she chanced upon a couple of women’s self help groups that found themselves strapped for employment and income.
She took it upon herself to create business for them, and also used the opportunity to fulfill a dream – feminism taught young. She hit upon the idea of creating ragdolls out of the materials available in the little town, designed them, and worked with the ladies to help them stitch them.
Committed to reducing environmental impact, and supporting local businesses, each purchase takes the ladies one step closer towards independence and self-sufficiency.
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