Null Set

In algebra, a Null set refers to an empty set. A teacher mentioned the Indian woman astronaut as an example for a null set as until then no Indian woman had become an astronaut. One girl instantly exclaimed, 'Madam, one day this null set will not exist!' The same girl, Kalpana Chawla went on to fill the set!

Like the name she herself chose, Kalpana was a highly imaginative child. Stars captivated her so much that she and her classmates built a physical geography map of India covering the floor of an entire classroom in her school, Tagore Bal Niketan, and covered its ceiling completely with stars -- sparkling dots marked on blackened newspapers! In her drawing class, she would draw airplanes flying in the sky. She loved making models of airplanes during craft classes.

In college, Kalpana was the only girl to opt for the aeronautical engineering course. During admission when asked to state her second option, she replied that she had none! During counseling, teachers tried to dissuade her as aeronautic engineering had limited job opportunities in the country. Most girls had opted for electrical engineering. But, Kalpana stuck to her passion. This was the first step to much greater achievements of India’s first woman astronaut.

Imagination is important, but it is not enough. To be better, it needs to be transformed into a clear vision and backed by a motivated mission to achieve it. Null sets get filled when dreams are empowered by steadfast belief and committed actions. Indeed, it took courage of conviction for a small town girl to become the first Indian woman to straddle outer space. She died abroad the shuttle Colombia on 1 February, 2003 but her inspiration remains immortal.

let’s BE BETTER at achieving every desirable vision

null sets get filled only through committed mission

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.