Wings of Fire

In 1986,Pan Am flight 73 Mumbai to Frankfurt,was hijacked by four militants in Karachi. On board,senior flight purser Neerja Bhanot found herself confronting the greatest challenge of her life — to save the passengers as the heavily armed hijackers opened fire. By the time the bullets got to her,Neerja had helped most of the passengers,including children,escape to safety. She is still remembered across the world as the “heroine of the hijack” and remains the youngest recipient of the Ashoka Chakra,India’s highest civilian award for bravery. Now,a new book titled Chandigarh and its Leading Personalities by Neerja’s brother and advertising professional Aneesh Bhanot salutes her spirit. The 190-page book features 75 leading personalities of Chandigarh like thespian Kamal Tewari,actor Jaspal Bhatti,lawyer ML Sarin and entrepreneur Neena Singh. “The guiding principle behind this book is Neerja’s act of selflessness and bravery. Of course,I’ve been partial towards her in the book,” says Aneesh,as he flips through pages carrying

his sister’s photos. The book was released by Neerja’s mother Rama Bhanot,Managing Trustee of the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust.