On 1st Feb 2003, PEC alumnus Kalpana Chawla died in the tragic accident of U.S. space shuttle Columbia. PECOBA organized a Condolence Meet at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi on Sunday, the 9th Feb 2003. Kalpana's professors & batchmates at PEC as also her school teachers & classmates at  Tagore Balniketan School, Karnal attended the Function. Also about 30 close relatives of Kalpana, including her uncle (Chacha) attended the Function. Her father was in USA. The Function was attended by many delegates from US Embassy. A musical programme of homage to Kalpana Chawla with live singing, conceived and directed by PECOBA's Gen Secy Amarjit Singh Kohli, was presented. Ever since then, PECOBA has been organizing programmes of homage to Kalpana Chawla on 1st Feb every year. Six such programmes have been held, the first four in New Delhi, fifth one in Tagore Balniketan School, Karnal and the last one in Bhargava Auditorium, PGI, Chandigarh on 1st Feb, 2009. In conjunction with Cultural Society Sakha, PECOBA has instituted Kalpana Chawla Excellence Awards which are given to outstanding women in various fields every year on 1st February.