Who was Neerja Bhanot? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Indian Celebrities Born In September

Nick Name: Laado

Died At Age: 22

Family:

father: Harish Bhanot

mother: Rama Bhanot

Indian Women

Died on: September 5, 1986

place of death: Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

City: Chandigarh, India

More Facts

education: St. Xavier's College-Autonomous, Mumbai

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1

What was Neerja Bhanot's profession?

Neerja Bhanot was a flight attendant.
2

How did Neerja Bhanot save passengers during the Pan Am Flight 73 hijacking?

Neerja Bhanot showed immense courage and quick thinking to save passengers by alerting the cockpit crew and helping them escape through the emergency exits.
3

What was the significance of Neerja Bhanot's actions during the hijacking?

Neerja Bhanot's bravery and sacrifice during the hijacking made her a symbol of courage and inspired many people around the world.
4

How did Neerja Bhanot's actions impact aviation security measures?

Neerja Bhanot's heroism highlighted the importance of stringent security measures in aviation and led to improvements in safety protocols.
5

How is Neerja Bhanot remembered today?

Neerja Bhanot is remembered as a brave and selfless individual who made the ultimate sacrifice to save others, and her legacy continues to inspire people globally.

Childhood & Early Life

Neerja Bhanot was born on 7 September 1963, in Chandigarh, Punjab, India, to Rama Bhanot and Harish Bhanot, a Mumbai-based journalist. She was the couple’s third child, a much longed-for daughter after two sons, Akhil and Aneesh.

She completed her high school fromBombay Scottish School and graduated from St. Xavier’s College. She was a vivacious young girl, sensitive, caring, and cheerful.

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Career

She got married shortly after her graduation, but the marriage proved to be a disaster. After being abused by her husband for dowry, she separated from him and focused her efforts on building a successful career for herself.

Pretty and confident, she undertook some modeling assignments and appeared in many television commercials and print advertisements for companies such as Benzersarees, Binaca toothpaste, Godrej Besto detergent, Vaporex, and Vicco Turmeric cream.

She then applied for a flight attendant's job with Pan Am, the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States at that time. There were nearly 10,000 applications, but Neerja was easily selected among the top 80.

She was sent to Miami for training as a flight attendant and impressed her training instructors with her courage and zeal. She was soon made a senior flight purser with the airways—a big career achievement for a young woman of 22.

Pan Am Flight 73 Hijacking Incident

On 5 September 1986, Neerja Bhanot was on duty in the Pan Am Flight 73, parked on the tarmac at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, preparing for take-off. The flight was flying from Mumbai to USA, carrying 361 passengers and 19 crew members.

All of a sudden, four armed men barged into the aircraft. Acting quickly, Neerja alerted the cockpit crew who evacuated the plane. Being the senior most staff on the hijacked aircraft, she took charge.

The hijackers—part of the terrorist Abu Nidal Organization backed by Libya—wanted to fly to Israel and crash the plane against a building. But it was not possible as the cockpit crew had already escaped.

The passengers on the plane hailed from different countries, there wereIndians, Germans, Americans, and Pakistanis, among others. The terrorists were more intent on targeting the Americans. When Neerja was told to collect the passports of the passengers, she hid the American ones so that the terrorists could not identify them.

The nightmare on the aircraft continued for long. The hijackers opened fire after 17 hours, prompting Neerja to open the emergency door. She could have escaped first, but chose not to. Instead, she helped the passengers escape. She was shot when she was shielding three children from the terrorists’ bullets after hours of saving the lives of several hostages.

Awards & Achievements

The Government of India posthumously awarded her the Ashoka Chakra Award (India's highest gallantry award for bravery in the face of the enemy during peace time). Just a day shy of her 23rd birthday at the time of her death, she became its youngest recipient.

In 2005, her brother went to Washington DC to receive the 'Justice for Crimes Award' awarded posthumously to her as part of the 'Annual Crime Rights Week'.

Personal Life & Legacy

Neerja had an arranged marriage in March 1985 and moved to the Gulf to be with her husband. The marriage, however, proved to be a disaster. While Neerja and her parents had cleared at the time of marriage that it would be a dowry-free marriage, the young bride was humiliated and tortured at her husband’s house for dowry. She chose to break free from this abusive marriage and returned to her parents in India.

Her parents set up the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust with insurance money and funds from Pan Am for using the brand Pan Am in the title. The trust presents two awards every year, one to honor a flight crew member, worldwide, who acts beyond the call of duty and another to an Indian woman who overcomes social injustice and helps other women in similar social distress.

Facts About Neerja Bhanot

Neerja Bhanot was the youngest and first woman recipient of the Ashoka Chakra award, India's highest peacetime gallantry award, for her bravery during the Pan Am Flight.

Neerja was fluent in several languages, including English, Hindi, and Gujarati, which helped her effectively communicate and calm passengers during the hijacking crisis.

Neerja's selfless actions during the hijacking saved the lives of many passengers and inspired people around the world with her courage and compassion.

Neerja's legacy lives on through the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust, which provides scholarships and awards to women who demonstrate courage and selflessness in their lives.

Neerja Bhanot Biography

You wanted to know

What was Neerja Bhanot's profession?

How did Neerja Bhanot save passengers during the Pan Am Flight 73 hijacking?

What was the significance of Neerja Bhanot's actions during the hijacking?

How did Neerja Bhanot's actions impact aviation security measures?

How is Neerja Bhanot remembered today?