The Neerja Bhanot Bravery Award for 2013 was conferred upon a Delhi-based social activist, Rashmi Anand. The award was presented by Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi here on Saturday. The Neerja Bhanot Award was instituted in 1991 in the memory of the brave Senior Flight Purser Neerja Bhanot, who saved hundreds of lives while sacrificing her own, during a Pan Am plane hijack at Karachi Airport in September 1986. The award consists of Rs 1.50 lakh in cash, a citation and a trophy, and is given every year to those women who show extraordinary courage and bravery. Rashmi, herself a victim of domestic violence, not just fought bravely against her in-laws but also committed herself to the cause of helping others like her. She gives free legal aid to distressed women at the Crime Against Women Cell in Delhi. Accepting the award Rashmi Anand said, “I am proud to receive this award as it represents the spirit of Neerja Bhanot’s determination and grit in the face of overwhelming circumstances. A woman must not tolerate injustice and must learn to stand up for her rights, come what may.”
