A short biography of the popular women Neerja Bhanot. In about 300 words.
Answers
Neerja Bhanot is a National and International hero who saved a lot of lives during a flight hijack. She was shot dead during that hijack. She is called the heroine of the hijack. She was the youngest awardee of the Ashoka Chakra. She received awards (posthumously) from USA, UK, Pakistan and many organizations. She received the "Justice for Crimes" award from USA.
Neerja Bhanot was born on 7th Sept, 1963 in Chandigarh to Harish (a journalist) and Rama Bhanot. She was beautiful, tall and photogenic. She completed degree studies in Mumbai and also became a model. She modeled for Binaca, Vaporex, Paville, Godrej Besto, Forhans, BNP (France), Variati etc. She was popular and appeared on the face of many magazines too.
She joined Pan Am Airlines in 1985 to work on Frankfurt-India routes. She became a purser (cabin manager/head steward) later on. She was brave, intelligent and held presence of mind in a dangerous situation.
Pan Am Flight from Mumbai to USA was hijacked on 5th Sept, 1986 at Karachi airport by Abu Nidal Organization. She alerted the cockpit crew immediately and they left the plane through overhead hatch. Being the senior flight purser she took the responsibility of the plane and passengers for more than 17 hours. She protected the identities and lives of 40 Americans by hiding their passports. Hijackers started fire and bombing. She opened a door and helped the passenger escape. She was shot at a close range when she shielded three American children from a gun fire. She managed to save 359 out of 379 people on the flight. She prevented the flight from going off the ground to Libya.
Unfortunately her marriage (1985) broke off after two months due to an alleged dowry problem.
She became the inspiration for many world over to become brave flight personnel. She raised the flag of India to a very high level and proved wrong those who thought Indians were incapable or not brave or not intelligent. Neerja Bhanot award is given to two persons every year; one for a flight member and the other to an Indian women who fights social injustice. A postal stamp was released in 2004 in her memory.
Neerja Bhanot, Ashoka Chakra (7 September 1963 – 5 September 1986)[1][2] was an Indian head purser who died while saving passengers on Pan Am Flight 73 which had been hijacked by terrorists from a terrorist organization during a stopover in Karachi, Pakistan, on 5 September 1986, just two days before her 23rd birthday. Posthumously, she became the youngest recipient of India's highest peacetime gallantry, the Ashoka Chakra Award, as well as several other accolades from the governments of Pakistan and the United States. She was shot while helping passengers escape through the emergency exits.[2][3] Her life and heroism inspired the biopic Neerja, which was released in 2016 and was directed by Ram Madhvani starring Sonam Kapoor.