2024-09-05 16:54:12
New DelhiAviation industry is one such industry which is glamorous. This glamor attracted Neerja Bhanot, daughter of a journalist from Mumbai. She was a successful model and later got the job of flight purser or air hostess for American aviation company Pan Am. 38 years ago on this day, 5 September 1986, she displayed indomitable courage and bravery and saved the lives of 360 passengers. Impressed by her bravery, the Indian government honoured her with the country’s highest civilian award ‘Ashok Chakra’, the Pakistan government also honoured her with ‘Tamgha-e-Insaniyat’. This is Pakistan’s fourth highest civilian award.
Born in Chandigarh, made career in Mumbai
Neerja Bhanot was born on 7 September 1963 in Chandigarh. Her father Harish Bhanot was a journalist in a newspaper named Hindustan Times. Her early education was done in Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School, Chandigarh. Later when her family shifted to Mumbai, she took admission in Bombay Scottish School there. After this, she studied at the famous St. Xavier’s College of Bombay. During the same time, she joined modeling.
Joined Pan Am
Neerja, daughter of a journalist father, was beautiful and bubbly. In 1985, she got a job as a flight attendant in the American aviation company Pan Am. After joining the job, she got training as a flight attendant in Florida, America, but when she returned, she was a purser. Her passion, courage and determination were cited as an example. That is why today this girl’s name is recorded in golden letters in aviation history. What happened on 5 September 1986
On 5 September 1986, ‘Pan Am’ 73 flight took off from Mumbai. Neerja was the senior flight purser in this flight. The flight had to go from Mumbai to New York, but not directly. Karachi city of Pakistan was its first stop. The flight landed at Jinnah Airport in Karachi. Some passengers got off while some boarded for the onward journey. The pilot started preparing for takeoff. Meanwhile, four terrorists entered the plane at a high speed and suddenly the voice came ‘hijack’. However, the terrorists with their evil intentions did not know that there was a ‘lioness’ of India in this plane.
How many people were on the plane
There were 379 people on board the plane including four terrorists, 360 passengers and crew members. One of these crew members was Neerja Bhanot. She is the same brave woman of India who lost her life while saving the lives of all the passengers from the terrorists. If she wanted, she could have saved her life and escaped from there, but she did not do so and with her wisdom, she evacuated all the passengers safely from there.
heroine of hijack
For this bravery, she was also known as the ‘Heroine of Hijack’. Neerja, who gave tough competition to the actresses of the 90s in studies, sports and looks, was the best in every aspect.
honoured with Ashoka Chakra
After Neerja Bhanot’s great sacrifice, the Indian government awarded her the highest civilian award ‘Ashok Chakra’. The government of Pakistan also awarded Neerja ‘Tamgha-e-Insaniyat’, which is the fourth highest civilian award there. Neerja was indeed the greatest heroine of independent India. In 2004, the Indian government also issued a postage stamp in honor of Neerja Bhanot. Internationally, Neerja’s name is famous as the ‘Heroine of Hijack’. In the year 2005, America gave her the ‘Justice for Crime Award’. A film based on her story was also made in 2016, in which her character was played by Sonam Kapoor.