Summary
This chapter tells the inspiring true story of Neerja Bhanot, a brave Indian flight attendant who sacrificed her life to save passengers during the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 on September 5, 1986. The aircraft, carrying 360 passengers, had arrived from Mumbai and was parked at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, when four heavily armed terrorists seized control of it.
Neerja demonstrated extraordinary courage throughout the ordeal. When the terrorists ordered her to collect passengers' passports (intending to target Americans), she cleverly hid the American passports and discarded them down the rubbish chute, saving at least 39 out of 41 American passengers. She alerted the cockpit pilots using a coded warning, enabling them to escape through an alternate exit, thus preventing the terrorists from forcing anyone to fly the plane to Israel where they planned to crash it into a building.
After 17 hours, when the plane ran out of power and the terrorists began shooting passengers, Neerja sprang into action once more. She shed all hesitation and worked to evacuate as many passengers as possible. Though she could have escaped herself, she stayed behind. When she finally attempted to exit, she noticed three children left behind. While rescuing them, she was fatally shot by the terrorists. This heroic young woman died saving others, living up to her own words: "I will die, but not run away."
The chapter also covers Neerja's life story -- her birth in Chandigarh on September 7, 1963, her education at Sacred Heart School, Bombay Scottish School, and St. Xavier's College, her brief and troubled marriage, her successful modelling career, and her remarkable achievement of becoming one of only 80 selected from 10,000 applicants for Pan Am. She was trained in Miami and later in London to become a senior flight purser at just 22 years of age.
Key Themes
- Self-Sacrifice: Neerja's ultimate sacrifice -- giving up her own life to save three children and hundreds of passengers -- is the central theme. She chose duty over personal safety.
- Courage and Bravery: From hiding passports to alerting pilots and evacuating passengers under gunfire, Neerja displayed unwavering courage in the face of mortal danger.
- Duty and Responsibility: As a senior flight purser, Neerja took her professional responsibility to heart. She prioritized the safety of every passenger above her own life.
- Resilience and Fighting Spirit: Neerja overcame personal setbacks -- a failed marriage and dowry harassment -- to rebuild her life and career, showing that true strength lies in never giving up.
- True Heroism: The chapter opens with the thought that many become professionals but few become truly "human." Neerja exemplifies that real heroism is about putting others first.
- Legacy and Remembrance: Neerja's bravery was honoured by three nations, and her legacy continues through the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust awards, a postage stamp, and a square named after her in Mumbai.
Character Analysis
Neerja Bhanot
Neerja Bhanot is the protagonist and hero of this story. Born on September 7, 1963, in Chandigarh, she was the third child and only daughter of Rama and Harish Bhanot. Her character is defined by several remarkable qualities:
- Quick-thinking and Resourceful: She immediately hid American passports and used coded language to alert the pilots, showing sharp presence of mind under extreme pressure.
- Selfless and Compassionate: Despite knowing the escape routes and having the chance to flee, she chose to stay and help passengers evacuate. Her final act was rescuing three children.
- Determined and Principled: Her father described her as having "well defined principles" with "little room for compromise." She once told her mother she would die but never run away from danger.
- Brave from Childhood: Her classmate Eliza Lewis recalled that Neerja would "never cower when the teachers got angry" and always spoke her mind truthfully.
- Loyal and Warm: Her classmate Vrinda Kirloskar described her as a loyal friend who would always be the first to reach out after a disagreement.
- Hardworking and Accomplished: Selected from 10,000 applicants, trained in Miami and London, she became a senior flight purser at just 22 -- a testament to her dedication and excellence.
Literary Devices
- Foreshadowing: The anecdote about young Neerja telling her mother "I will die, but not run away" foreshadows her ultimate sacrifice during the actual hijacking.
- Irony (Dramatic): Neerja's mother once discussed a hypothetical hijack scenario and told Neerja to save herself. Neerja refused to think that way -- and tragically, the hypothetical became reality.
- Contrast: The chapter contrasts Neerja's personal life struggles (failed marriage, dowry demands) with her professional triumph and ultimate heroism, highlighting her resilient spirit.
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions such as "raised hell on board," "shed all her hesitation and fears," and "waited selflessly in the face of death" create powerful mental pictures of the crisis.
- Euphemism: The phrase "By a cruel twist of fate, this heroic young girl passed away" softens the harsh reality of her death while emphasizing its tragic nature.
- Testimonials / First-person Accounts: Quotes from Neerja's father, Dr. Kishore Murthy, Eliza Lewis, Vrinda Kirloskar, and Rukshana Eisa add authenticity and multiple perspectives to the narrative.
Important Events (Timeline)
- September 7, 1963: Neerja Bhanot born in Chandigarh, Punjab.
- Education: Studied at Sacred Heart School (Chandigarh), Bombay Scottish School, and graduated from St. Xavier's College (Mumbai).
- March 1985: Married; left her husband after two months due to pressurizing dowry demands.
- Career: Selected as one of 80 out of 10,000 applicants for Pan Am; trained in Miami (6-8 weeks) and London; became senior flight purser at age 22.
- September 5, 1986: Pan Am Flight 73 hijacked at Karachi airport by four armed terrorists.
- During Hijack: Hid American passports, alerted pilots via coded warning, helped pilots escape through alternate exit.
- After 17 Hours: Plane lost power; terrorists opened fire. Neerja evacuated passengers and was fatally shot while rescuing three children.
- Posthumous Honours: Awarded Ashok Chakra (India), Justice for Crimes Award (USA), and Tamgha-e-Insaniyat (Pakistan). Postage stamp issued in 2004. A square in Mumbai's Ghatkopar named after her.
Glossary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hijacked | Illegally seized control of an aircraft, ship, etc. |
| Calamity | A sudden event causing great damage or distress |
| Assaulted | Attacked violently |
| Frustration | The feeling of annoyance when one's actions are prevented from progressing or succeeding |
| Inflicted | Caused something unpleasant to be suffered by |
| Disaster | A sudden misfortune, catastrophe |
| Pressurizing | Persuading or forcing someone into doing something |
| Performance | Doing something to a specified standard |
| Achievement | Attainment, success |
| Civilian | A person not in the armed services or police force |
| Posthumously | After the death of the person |
| Crew | A group of people who work on a ship, aircraft, or train |
| Injustice | Lack of justice, unfairness |
| Evacuating | Removing people from a dangerous place to safety |
| Succumbed | Failed to resist pressure, disease, or injury; died |