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The Story Of Neerja Bhanot - The Girl Who Punched Terrorism In The Face And Became A Hero India Would Never Forget

It must have been a proud moment for her parents when she was posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra in 1987, but her absence in their lives would have hurt more than ever. The void she left in their lives must have made their hearts bleed. They lost a daughter, a loss that could never be replaced. Fifth September, 1986, was the day Neerja Bhanot, a model and a flight attendant, was killed in the Pan-Am-Flight-73-hijack and it’s a story India shall never forget. 

“Neerja would talk about the training that Pan Am used to give, including what to do in case of a hijack", recalled Aneesh Bhanot, Neerja’s brother in an interview. Neerja Bhanot lived up to her promise. She fought to save lives till her last breath. Two days later, she would have turned 23. Here’s the story of how Neerja Bhanot, an ordinary 23-year-old girl, managed to save 360 lives on a hijacked flight and became the youngest recipient of Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime military decoration award for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. 

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The day was 5th September 1986. The Pan Am Flight 73 was to depart from Karachi and fly to New York via Frakfurt. Neerja Bhanot was on board as the senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73 on that unfateful day. Four armed terrorists dressed as Karachi airport security guards boarded the aircraft at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The plane was hijacked. When Neerja Bhanot tried to alert the cockpit crew, the terrorist held her by her ponytail. She still managed to shout out a warning through a secret code. The cockpit crew escaped at once, as per their mandate, so the aircraft couldn’t be flown forcibly.

The terrorists threatened to shoot Rajesh Kumar, a passenger on the flight, if the cockpit crew wasn’t brought back to the aircraft in the next 15 minutes. Rajesh was shot dead, and his body thrown out of the plane. The cockpit crew was gone and the only person who could have saved the day was Neerja. She took charge and fought on, not for herself but for the 360 people trapped inside the aircraft. The terrorists held the cabin crew at gunpoint and ordered them to collect passports of the passengers. Knowing they’d shoot the Americans among them, Neerja swiftly hid their passports, even disposed some off the rubbish chute. There were 41 Americans on board, only two died.

Seventeen hours later, the terrorists opened fire. They were armed with assault rifles, pistols, grenades, and plastic explosive belts. Neerja Bhanot put aside all fears and took charge. She used her presence of mind to get to the emergency exit. No, she didn’t flee. She couldn’t. She was a patriot, she couldn’t see innocent men, women and children bleed at the hands of these terrorists. She opened the emergency exit and helped the passengers evacuate the aircraft. She was shot to death while protecting three children. She took a bullet to protect other people. She died fighting terrorism. She gave up her life shielding humanity. She lived a brave life, and died a hero. Twenty people died in that hijack. Neerja died so that 360 others could live. 

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Neerja was the kind of braveheart we only hear about in stories. Your sacrifice did not go to waste, Neerja. The nation will always remember you, as the brave young girl who punched terrorism in the face and emerged as a hero for generations to come. Respect!!!

Courtesy - TOI

http://www.mensxp.com/special-features/today/29128-the-story-of-neerja-bhanot-the-girl-who-punched-terrorism-in-the-face-and-became-a-hero-india-would-never-forget.html

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Richest of hearts!!

They say, the poorest of people have richest of hearts. If you ever doubted it, here's something for you to dwell on.

An air of expectancy was palpable in Magpara School's anganwadi on Tuesday when Khimjibhai Prajapati walked in on his crutches. Parents of 10 little girls from poor families, who were invited at the centre, thought as per his three-year-old practice, Prajapati would donate either books or school uniforms.

But their jaws dropped in disbelief when this 68-year-old beggar, famed for donating alms to encourage girls' education, brought out 10 small jewellery boxes containing gold earrings.

Prajapati presented each of the 10 girls with a pair of gold earrings, all purchased from the money he received by begging outside temples in Mehsana.

"We struggle to meet monthly expenses. We never even dreamt of getting gold," said Kumud Luhariya, seeing the twinkle in the eyes of her three-year-old daughter Bhumi after getting the earrings.

After Prajapati expressed his wish to gift the girls gold earrings, the anganwadi chose 10 girls who came from extremely poor families. The girls were children of daily wage labourers and blacksmiths who live in slums of Mehsana town.




"Girls need to be encouraged to study. They must be come self-reliant and stand on their feet. The situation in Mehsana is not good. There are very less girls compared to boys and this is the reason why I try to encourage them with such incentives," Prajapati told TOI.



Sheetal Sathwara, who runs the anganwadi centre, said, "Leave alone a beggar, I have never come across any poor person donating gold for girls in my entire life."

Deepak Shah, a gold jeweller, who gave the gold earrings at a discounted rate to Khimjibhai, said, "These were small earrings, slightly bigger than a nose stud. The total cost came up to Rs 13,000. But after I found that Khimjibhai wanted to present the earrings to poor girls, I decided to give him a discount of Rs 3,000."

In the last 13 years, Khimjibhai has spent Rs 80,000 for various causes like buying books, school uniform and paying fees of poor girls. He has donated for girls of 12 primary schools, including Disha Day School for the disabled.

 

After spending all the money for the earrings, Prajapati was all set for another round of begging. But a lady teacher, who was transferred from a government school on Tuesday, saved his day by giving him Rs 500 as Tuesday was her last day in Mehsana town.

 

Courtesy: TOI

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/This-beggar-gifts-gold-earrings-to-10-anganwadi-girls/articleshow/50829887.cms

High time we did something of value to the needy. Please lend your hand in support for the society. Even smallest of your support goes a long way in helping them.
-DC

Vintage Yuvi is back!

He was googling the middle of his bat, struggling his way to 2 off 9 balls, quite reminiscent to the pain staking 11 off 21 balls in the World T20 final against Sri Lanka. Those hardcore fans of Yuvi did not want a repeat. Those hardcore Indian fans did not want a repeat. As it turned out, there was no repeat. Just the Vintage Yuvi we've all known. He obliged to the expectations as he has does more often. As though rousing from a deep sleep, Yuvi pounced on the first two balls of the final over, flicking over backward square leg to the fence before pounding a six into the heaving crowd at midwicket. That rather brought much relief to the indian fans and Yuvi alike.

 

On his return, Yuvi has impressed while carrying out whatever he role he has been asked to play. He manned his area well in the field and put up an improved bowling display, which turned the match on its head. A part-time bowler as most call him, Yuvi brought the house down at the MCG by outfoxing ‘Big Show’ Maxwell on his home turf, the second time in 2 games in crucial overs where Australia would have fancied their chances with their most devastating batsman.

 

For now, even though we cant be so sure, Yuvi the finisher, the match winner seems to be still around there expected to make his way into the World T20 next month.  Let's hope for some Yuvi magic and a repeat of the 2007 World Cup.

 

- DC