Chennai: Tamil Nadu government has decided to honour India-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who was killed in the Colombia space shuttle tragedy, by instituting an award in her memory.

The decision to institute the award, the "Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise", was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at the Secretariat on February 6.

Besides a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a gold pendant would be given to a "brave woman" every year on Independence Day by the Chief Minister, an official press release said.

The Cabinet observed two minutes' silence as a mark of respect to the departed astronaut.

PTI