One is given to a flight crew member from any part of the world, who works beyond the call of duty. During their interviews with the BBC, they stressed that there was no single hero that day, that crew members not interviewed played an equally important role, and that they want survivors of terror attacks like 9/11 and Paris to know that life goes on. Tamgha-e-Insaaniyat (Awarded for showing incredible human kindness), Pakistan 3. Tamgha-e-Insaaniyat (Awarded for showing incredible human kindness), Pakistan 3. (Credits: Solo shots - individuals' own; group shot: Pan Am crew Facebook page), The crew now: (From top left to bottom right), all credits to the individuals) Sherene, Massey, Madhvi, Sunshine, Dilip, Nupoor, Passenger Mike Thexton has praised the flight attendants' bravery, A film has recently been released about Neerja Bhanot, who was fatally injured in the hijack. Their plan was to fly to Cyprus to free Palestinian prisoners, but Neerja, who was only 22, alerted the cockpit crew who escaped through an overhead hatch in the cockpit. Ashok Chakra Award, India 2. A square in Mumbai's Ghatkopar (East) suburb was named after her by the Mumbai Corporation. After a short break all the Flight 73 crew returned to Pan Am for at least a few years. They also shed light on the last few hours of Neerja Bhanot, their colleague who died in the attack and is the subject of the new film. [2][3] Her life and heroism inspired the 2016 biopic Neerja directed by Ram Madhvani and starring Indian actress Sonam Kapoor. But she was the captain, who believed that she had to be the last person to quit alive or dead., The shock of being hit by bullets did not stop her heart-beat. In the memory of his martyred daughter, Neerja Bhanot's father wrote a heartrending piece that gives the reader a glimpse into her life before she died saving the passengers of the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986. The Incredible Story of Neerja Bhanot Indian Flight Attendant Who Saved 360 Lives, Click here if you want to make a contribution of your choice instead. After collecting the passports, Bhanot proceeded to the intercom and asked for passenger Michael John Thexton, a British citizen. Firing their weapons and manhandling a flight attendant, the hijackers took control of the Boeing 747-121 . But, my eye couldnt be treated there. But the marriage went sour within two months. At the time, they planned to use the plane to retrieve Palestinian prisoners in both Cyprus and Israel. There were huge streaks of light breaking the darkness. Neerja was recognised with a courage award by the airline in 1986, the US Department of Justice in 2005 and the US Attorney General in 2006. Sherene saw that mechanic Meherjee had been killed. It was inaugurated by Amitabh Bachchan in the early 1990s. Recommended Read: The Story Of An Indore Bachelor Who Is The Youngest Indian To Adopt A Special Child Will Leave You Inspired. The plane, as most planes are, was full of all different nationalities; Indians, Germans, Americans, Pakistani. The tragic tale of Neerja is known on both sides of the border. People . When the lights did go out, all the flight attendants and passengers were in the middle section of the cabin, several seated on the ground in the aisles and near the doors. Bhanot was born in Chandigarh, India, and brought up in Bombay (present-day Mumbai) in a Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family. The award includes a sum of INR 150,000 (approximately US$2,000) a trophy and a citation. As evening set in, the on-board power supply started to dwindle, the lights got dimmer and the cool air stopped circulating. Every year, this trust presents two special awards. It was her ill-fate to have been an attendant on the Pan Am Flight 73, but the blessed fortune of all the people whose lives she saved that day. Many went for it. Except Neerja, all other flight attendants were tied up with ropes. Do Read: Educated Homeless Man Finds A Job After Actor Ahsan Khans Video Goes Viral. Recommended Read: This Crazy Fact About 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' Cast Will Leave You Totally Shocked! She also posted this image of Neerja to pay a tribute to the brave daughter of India: And, during the trailer launch of the film, Sonam even got emotional while answering a few questions from the media. Image via, his age-processed image in 2018 (Right). Someone who could have easily escaped the plane hijacked by the terrorists, but she chose to stay put and help the passengers in the . Also read: Neerja box office collections: Sonam Kapoor film earns Rs. She was truly a great leader. Neerja was born in Chandigarh to journalist Harish Bhanot and his wife Rama. For this courageous act of Neerja Bhanot and to take her sacrifice to the masses, a film was made in her memory. "Neerja's life may have been saved were conditions in the hospital better.". Neerja, her crew, and the passengers were held hostage for 17 hours. Neerja was a very sensitive, deeply affectionate and an extremely decent person who believed in sharing with her people all her joys but not the jolts. It had just arrived from Mumbai, where Neerja lived, and was scheduled to continue on to Frankfurt and then New York. She was helped to walk to the ambulance. Flight attendant Sherene Pavan, who was out of sight of the militants, heard the commotion, reached for the intercom and pressed the emergency number to the cockpit. She was shot point blank, while shielding three children from the bullets. Someone who could have easily escaped the plane hijacked by the terrorists, but she chose to stay put and help the passengers in the flight. In the dead body, I saw bullets had hit her in the abdomen, on the shoulder near the neck and in the arm. Special Courage Award, US Government 5. Outside on the tarmac, Pan Am's Karachi director Viraf Doroga used a megaphone to begin negotiations with the hijackers. Then, she completed her education in St. Xavier Autonomous and then accepted the proposal of marriage. Shortly after, the hijackers turned to their bullets, which caused the most damage. She is the youngest recipient to date and the first female recipient of this award. The braveheart made sure she got all the passengers out of trouble and lost her life just two days before her 23rd birthday. Nearly 30 years after the hijack of Pan Am Flight 73 at Karachi airport, six of the plane's crew have spoken to the media for the first time. There were 14 flight attendants on board, 12 of whom were preparing for take-off. Neerja was well trained in anti-hijack measures. "On occasion he would hold my hair, force my face to the window and ask what I could see on the tarmac. She gave up her life so that others could live. Flight Safety Foundation Heroism Award, U.S.A. 4. After some time, in the afternoon, they offered us sandwiches. "I didn't see medical facilities at the airport besides minor first aid The hospital was several kilometres away from the airport," says Dilip. One of the children Neerja saved, who was just seven at the time, is now a pilot. "I may be biased but I feel that day proved that the flight attendants on board were some of the best in the industry.". But, she was the captain, who believed that she had to be the last person to quit alive or dead., Recommended Read: This Cafe In Agra That Hires Only Acid Attack Victims Will Reinstate Your Faith In Humanity. She was at the entrance of the aircraft when the terrorists boarded. At the time, they planned to use the plane to retrieve Palestinian prisoners in both Cyprus and Israel. She was ultimately shot while shielding three children from the hijackers. In March 1985, Bhanot, 21, wed a businessman in an ad-based arranged marriage that turned out to be the worst two months of her life to that point. Neerja streaming: where to watch online? Neerja was 22 years old when she was killed, merely 25 hours before her 23rd birthday. Sunshine, Madhvi Bahuguna and another flight attendant began collecting passports, quietly avoiding collecting any that were American. She was also posthumously awarded India's highest peacetime gallantry the Ashok Chakra Award, and is known internationally as the "heroine of the hijack.". They also want people to know they dearly miss their colleagues Neerja Bhanot and Meherjee Kharas. Mike was made to sit on the floor, and like the other passengers, keep his hands above his head. Around 9:00 p.m., the auxiliary power unit shut down, turning all lighting off. Sunshine and Dilip were also on the wing, but in the darkness couldn't gauge the distance of the drop. Aside from one sharp kick, he says, he was not physically mistreated and eventually escaped with others in the later chaos. Times when Nora Fatehi flaunted her curves! Recommended Read: The Story Of An Indore Bachelor Who Is The Youngest Indian To Adopt A Special Child Will Leave You Inspired. I still remember, exactly after 17 hours of them hijacking the flight, the fuel ran out. When she opened the emergency exit, she could have herself been the first to slide down the chute. Neerja was an Indian head purser with Pan American Airways, who stood bravely against the terrorists to save the lives of the passengers on a hijacked plane in 1986. After 48 hours, the Indian Airlines flight took all the Indians back home. Outside, four gunmen had sped on to the tarmac in a van disguised as airport security. It was her ill-fate to have been an attendant on the Pan Am Flight 73, but the blessed fortune of all the people whose lives she saved that day. The biopic of airhostess Neerja Bhanot, who died a heroic death while saving 350 passengers, struck the right chords India TV Entertainment Desk Updated on: February 23, 2016 10:24 IST URL copied Remembering Neerja Bhanot on hijacked Pan Am Flight 73. Here's why. Neerja as the Hijack Heroine. At the time, Bhanot secretly removed a page from a manual that explained how to open the 3R aircraft door and exit through a slide down to the apron. Neerja was one among them. Safarini, mid-joke, caught her and immediately pointed the gun at her head. Neerja Bhanot was born on September 7, 1963, in Chandigarh, Punjab to Harish Bhanot who was the correspondent of Hindustan times and Rama Bhanot. The aircraft, which had just arrived from Mumbai, carried 365 passengers and 16 crew members. The story of courageous Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life while protecting the lives of 359 passengers on Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986 when it was hijacked by a terrorist organization. At this point, Bhanot opened a door and helped passengers escape. Every year, this trust presents two special awards. TIL that Neerja Bhanot, an Indian flight, attendant hid the passports of American passengers on board a hijacked flight to save them from the terrorits. It was a short jump to reach the wing of the plane. "I noticed immediately that the escape devices in the cockpit had been deployed. Her loyalties to the passengers of the aircraft in distress will forever be a lasting tribute to the finest qualities of the human spirit. The flight was hijacked by a terrorist organization. In the evening, they allowed everyone to go to the toilet, one after the other, by crawling on the floor with our hands locked over our heads. Neerja saved 359 lives. She died heroically, saving Pan Am passengers from terrorists on Sept. 5, 1986. She had to borrow money from the husband even to make a telephone call.. Neerja Bhanot, . The outlet said Bhanot is her inspiration, meaning that the now-successful pilot is also female. It was Frank Small, a non-Indian and someone who has been working in the airline industry for 31 years, who remembered Neerja on the day with this touching Facebook post of her story. Read about our approach to external linking. COVID origins? They occasionally worked the same flight and ran into each other at layovers. But, she was the captain, who believed that she had to be the last person to quit alive or dead., Recommended Read: This Cafe In Agra That Hires Only Acid Attack Victims Will Reinstate Your Faith In Humanity. . However, Nupoor Abrol, one of the crew members who was on-board the Pan Am flight claims that in the movie, undeserved adulation has been given to Neerja Bhanot. This is when four armed men in airport security clothes entered the aircraft from the business class side. When no pilot materialised within the hour, Mr Kumar was shot and kicked out of the plane. Recommended Read: This Crazy Fact About Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara Cast Will Leave You Totally Shocked! Though Neerja couldn't make it herself, the flight attendant's bravery saved most of the passengers. Neerja informed her senior members in the cockpit about the flight being hijacked. A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories - in under 5 minutes, 2022 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms & Conditions, Neerja Bhanot, who was killed at 22, posthumously became the youngest recipient of the, , Indias highest peacetime military decoration for, In March 1985, Bhanot, 21, wed a businessman in an ad-based arranged marriage that turned out to be the worst two months of her life to that point. Also known as Fatah-The Revolutionary Council, it is listed as a terrorist group by the United States, Israel and the European Union. Yes, we are talking about none other than Indias brave daughter, the flight attendant of Pan Am Flight 73, Neerja Bhanot. If you read us, like us and want this positive movement to grow, then do consider supporting us via the following buttons. CHANDIGARH: As Sonam Kapoor's upcoming film Neerja, a biopic on Neerja Bhanot of Chandigarh, India's youngest recipient of the Ashok Chakra, hits the big screen on February 19, one of the survivors of the Pan Am Flight 73 flight hijack remembers the terror-filled moments and how the 22-year-old cabin crew member saved the lives of a bulk of the passengers. Sure she got all the flight being hijacked which had just arrived from Mumbai, where lived! Life just two days before her 23rd birthday lived, and the cool air stopped circulating other attendants! 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