The Centre will decide how to honour Indian American Kalpana Chawla, one of the seven astronauts who died when space shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas, after Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani returns to the country, Union Minister of State for Home I D Swami told rediff.com on Tuesday morning.

The government has token note of the sentiments of the people of Haryana's Karnal district, where Chawla grew up, that the Bharat Ratna be conferred on her, he said in New Delhi.

"We would very much like to honour the bravery, courage and achievements of Chawla in the field of aeronautics. We would have to consider some factors, as she was an American citizen. But these can be done away with," Swami, who is also from Karnal, said.

A medical college will be set up in Karnal in memory of the astronaut, he said, adding that the Haryana government will put up a proposal before the Centre in the regard.

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