Neerja Bhanot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Neerja Bhanot AC T.Pk
Bhanot depicted on a 2004 Indian postage stamp
Born	(1963-09-07)7 September 1963 Chandigarh, India
Died	5 September 1986(1986-09-05) (aged 22) Karachi, Pakistan
Cause of death	Gunshot wounds inflicted by Palestinian hijackers
Nationality	Indian
Education	Bombay Scottish School
Alma mater	St. Xavier's College
Employer	Pan Am
Known for	Saving passengers onboard Pan Am Flight 73 after it was hijacked by the Abu Nidal Organization
Awards	Ashoka Chakra (1987) Tamgha-e-Pakistan (1987)

Neerja Bhanot (born September 7, 1963 – died September 5, 1986) was a very brave Indian flight purser. A flight purser is like a senior flight attendant. On September 5, 1986, she saved many passengers on Pan Am Flight 73. This plane was hijacked by four terrorists from the Abu Nidal Organization. The hijacking happened after the plane stopped at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan.

About 17 hours into the dangerous situation, Neerja opened an emergency exit door. She started helping passengers get off the plane. Sadly, she was shot and killed by the hijackers while doing this. Soon after, Pakistan's Special Service Group rescued the plane. They also captured all the hijackers.

After her death, Neerja Bhanot became very famous. She was the first woman to receive the Ashoka Chakra. This is India's highest award for bravery during peacetime. She was also the youngest person to get it until 2003. Neerja also received the Tamgha-e-Pakistan. This is a high civilian award from Pakistan. She also got several awards from the United States. Her amazing life and brave actions inspired a 2016 Indian movie. The movie was called Neerja.

Neerja's Early Life

Neerja Bhanot was born on September 7, 1963, in Chandigarh, India. Her family was a Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family. Her father, Harish Bhanot, was a journalist. Her mother was Rama Bhanot. Neerja had two brothers, Akhil and Aneesh.

She went to Sacred Heart Senior Secondary School in Chandigarh. Later, her family moved to Bombay (now Mumbai). There, she continued her studies at Bombay Scottish School. She then graduated from St. Xavier's College. In Bombay, she was discovered for modeling. This is how her modeling career began. She was a big fan of actor Rajesh Khanna. She often used quotes from his movies.

Becoming a Flight Purser

In 1985, Neerja Bhanot applied for a job with Pan Am. Pan Am decided to have an all-Indian cabin crew for its flights from Frankfurt to India. Neerja was chosen for the job. She went to Miami, Florida, for her flight attendant training. When she returned, she became a flight purser. This meant she was in charge of the cabin crew.

The Hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73

Neerja Bhanot was the Senior Flight Purser on Pan Am Flight 73. This was a Boeing 747 plane. It was flying from Bombay to New York. It had stops in Karachi and Frankfurt. On September 5, 1986, four Palestinian terrorists hijacked the plane. There were 380 passengers and 13 crew members on board.

Neerja's Quick Thinking

As soon as the hijackers got on the plane, Neerja quickly alerted the cockpit crew. The plane was still on the apron (the area where planes park). The three cockpit crew members, the pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer, quickly escaped. They left through a hatch in the cockpit. As the most senior cabin crew member, Neerja took charge of the situation inside the plane.

Saving American Passengers

The hijackers were part of a group called the Abu Nidal Organization. They were targeting Americans. In the first few minutes, they found an Indian-American passenger. They shot him and threw his body from the plane. Then, the terrorists told Neerja to collect all the passengers' passports. They wanted to find other Americans on board.

Neerja and the other flight attendants bravely hid the passports of the remaining 43 Americans. Some passports were hidden under a seat. Others were put down a garbage chute. This way, the hijackers could not tell who was American and who was not. This saved many lives.

Heroic Actions and Sacrifice

After 17 long hours, the hijackers started shooting and setting off explosives. Neerja opened one of the airplane doors. She could have been the first to escape. But she did not. Instead, she stayed and started helping other passengers get out.

A passenger who survived said that Neerja was guiding people to the emergency exit. The terrorists were firing constantly. They saw Neerja trying to help three children who were traveling alone. They grabbed her by her hair and shot her very close up.

A child who was seven years old on that flight grew up to become a captain for a major airline. He said Neerja was his inspiration. He felt he owed his life to her. Neerja was known around the world as "the heroine of the hijacking." She became the youngest person to receive the Ashoka Chakra Award. This is India's highest award for bravery in peacetime.

Besides saving many hostages, Neerja also stopped the plane from taking off. She received many awards for her courage after her death. These included awards from the Government of United States. She also received the Tamgha-e-Pakistan from Pakistan. This award is given for showing great human kindness.

Neerja's Lasting Legacy

For her incredible bravery, the Government of India gave Neerja Bhanot the Ashoka Chakra Award. This is India's highest award for bravery in the face of danger during peacetime. She was the youngest person and the first woman to ever receive this award. In 2004, the Indian Postal Service released a stamp to honor her.

After her death, Neerja's family started the Neerja Bhanot Trust. They used money from her insurance. This trust gives out two awards every year. One award is for a flight crew member anywhere in the world. This person must have done more than their duty. The other award is the Neerja Bhanot Award. It is given to an Indian woman. This woman must have bravely faced social injustice and helped other women in similar trouble. The award includes money, a trophy, and a special mention.

In 2005, Neerja's brother, Aneesh, went to Washington, D.C.. He accepted the "Justice for Crimes Award" for her. This award was given after her death. In 2006, Neerja and the other Pan Am Flight 73 flight attendants received the Special Courage award. This was from the United States Department of Justice.

A house at Austrey School was named Bhanot House in her honor. On July 2, 2016, she received the Bharat Gaurav Award. This was at a ceremony in London, England. On May 30, 2018, Panjab University opened the Neerja Bhanot Hostel. This dormitory on the university campus in Chandigarh provides living space for over 350 female students.

Awards and Honours

• Ashoka Chakra, 1987, India
• Tamgha-e-Pakistan, 1987, Pakistan
• Flight Safety Foundation Heroism Award 1987, United States
• Justice for Crimes Award 2005, United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, United States
• Special Courage Award 2006, United States Department of Justice, United States
• Civil Aviation Ministry Award 2011, India
• Bharat Gaurav Award presented at the House of Commons, UK Parliament on July 2, 2016

See also

• Frankie Housley
• Barbara Jane Harrison