Neerja Bhanot: The Hero of Pan Am Flight 73 (9/05/1986)

On the morning of September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 was preparing for takeoff from Karachi, Pakistan, en route to Frankfurt, Germany (and then New York). Onboard were over 360 passengers from multiple nationalities. Among the cabin crew was Neerja Bhanot, a 22-year-old senior flight purser from India. What began as a routine flight would turn into a day of horror and unimaginable heroism.

Shortly after passengers boarded, four armed terrorists from the Abu Nidal Organization, disguised as airport security, stormed the aircraft. Their aim was to hijack the plane and take hostages, primarily Americans, to negotiate with U.S. authorities. However, before the hijackers could gain full control, Neerja relayed the hijack code to the cockpit crew who then managed to escape through an overhead hatch, leaving the terrorists without anyone to fly the aircraft.

With no pilot onboard and chaos erupting, Neerja took command. Realizing the hijackers were targeting American passengers, she quickly hid U.S. passports under seats, in trash bins, and down chutes to protect their identities.

Over the next 17 hours, as the standoff dragged on, Neerja continued to comfort and protect passengers, all while under constant threat. Eventually, the hijackers opened fire and set off explosives. As panic broke out, Neerja opened an emergency exit and began guiding passengers to safety. In her final act of courage, she shielded three children from gunfire—and was fatally shot.

Her selfless actions saved hundreds of lives, including nearly all the children onboard. For her heroism, Neerja Bhanot was posthumously awarded India’s highest civilian bravery award, the Ashoka Chakra. She also received honors from the U.S. and Pakistan.

Neerja’s story is not just one of bravery, but of unshakable duty, compassion, and sacrifice. Even in her final moments, she upheld the highest ideals of humanity, becoming a global symbol of courage under fire.

In 2016, Neerja’s extraordinary story was brought to the big screen in the biographical film Neerja, starring Sonam Kapoor. Directed by Ram Madhvani, the film received critical acclaim and multiple awards for its sensitive portrayal of Neerja’s courage and sacrifice.

Neerja’s story is not just one of bravery, but of unshakable duty, compassion, and sacrifice. Even in her final moments, she upheld the highest ideals of humanity, becoming a global symbol of courage under fire.