NEW DELHI, Feb 1: A small town in northern India went into mourning and prayer Saturday for Kalpana Chawla — the Indian-born astronaut feared dead along with six others after the US space shuttle Columbia broke into pieces seven minutes before landing.

Hundreds of people poured onto the streets in Karnal, in Haryana state, on hearing of the tragedy.

It was there that Chawla began her journey into space and first dreamt her dream to one day walk on the moon.

“She said she could see a new world from space. She also said she wanted to go to the moon,” former Indian prime minister I.K. Gujral told a television channel, speaking of his conversation with Chawla on her first mission in space on Nov 19, 1997 aboard the same Columbia shuttle.

Reports also said Chawla sent an email to her friends in Karnal while on the current mission.

“Shortly before this mission, she sent me an invitation to come to NASA,” Chawla’s friend Inderjit Singh told the Hindi Aajtak channel. “We feel very sad. People don’t believe it.”

In her school in Karnal, dozens of people, among them young girls, lined up along the corridors, hands folded, praying for the impossible.

Chawla’s immediate family — mother and father — were reportedly in Texas, awaiting her safe return.

In New Delhi, friends and relatives flocked to her parents’ Asian Games Village home, looking for brother Sanjay Chawla to offer support.

“We are not in a position to say anything. We are too shocked,” one of the relatives told the Press Trust of India when asked about Sanjay.

In India’s space activity hub, Bangalore, scientists expressed dismay.

“I am shocked. At this moment I am at a loss for words. I hope everything is OK. Even at this moment I am hoping,” K. Kasturiranagan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), told AFP.

“It is a terrible incident,” said R. Narasimha, a member of India’s Space Commission.

“Kalpana Chawla is the first Indian to be involved in such a tragedy. It is very sad.

“Looking at the pictures I think there is not much hope left.”

India’s Science Minister Murli Manohar Joshi expressed surprise at the incident.—AFP