Journalism of Courage
At twilight on 26/11, Mumbai came alive with stories and songs of love and courage, at a memorial event organised by The Indian Express Group to pay tribute to the heroes and families affected by the 2008 terror attacks on the city. (Express photo by Amit Chakravorty)
Stars including Rekha Bhardwaj, Shilpa Rao, Dr L Subramaniam, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Divya Kumar, Harshdeep Kaur and Mahesh Kale performed at the event. The event also featured personal accounts of survivors that resonate uncannily with the message of Mahatma Gandhi, whose 150th birth anniversary we celebrated this year.(Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Addressing the audience at the 26/11 Stories of Strength event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh listed the changes in the national security since the terror attacks 11 years ago. "Ab Don ko pakadna mushkil nahi, aasan ho gaya," he told the crowd. (Express Photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Emphasising that terrorism does not have caste or religion, Union Minister of Transport Nitin Gadkari said, "I salute the people of Mumbai for their resilience in the face of the terror attacks," he said. He also remembered Hemant Karkare, saying that his sacrifice should not go in vain. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, said, "We have, for four years now, been inviting you to the Gateway of India, to evaluate your view on the power of love and hate, and to provoke a dialogue between the humanist and the extremist inside each one of us.” (Express photo by Pradip Das)
The Maharashtra Police Pipe Band kicked off the memorial event with a spirited performance. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
The Navy band in the foreground as the Gateway of India presents the backdrop for the memorial night, with a two-helicopter flypast. They first unfurled the Indian flag, while commandos dangled from the second rotorcraft, holding coloured torches that made a tri-colour over the monument. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Samir Kochhar, actor and television presenter, hosted the event.
The most rousing applause of the evening, unsurprisingly, was reserved for Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan, who has been an ambassador for the initiative since 2016, featured in a performance directed by filmmaker Anand Tiwari. (Express photo by Amit Chakravorty)
L Subramaniam on the violin with wife and vocalist Kavita Krishnamurthy and their children, Bindu and Ambi Subramaniam. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Harshdeep Kaur sang 'Luka chuppi' from the film Rang De Basanti.
Rekha Bhardwaj presented a special Sufi-inspired ode to peace and love at the memorial event. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Mahesh Kale gave a special rendition of Abhang Des raag and Vande Mataram. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Pranav Adani, Managing Director, Agro, Oil and Gas, Adani Group, and his wife Namrata with actor couple Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan.
Abhishek Bachchan with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
K Unnikrishnan and Dhanalakshmi Unnikrishnan, parents of late Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who was martyred in action during the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. (Express photo by Pradip Das)
Jui Karkare Navare, daughter of late Hemant Karkare, former chief of the anti-terrorism squad, at the memorial event. (Express photo by Amit Chakravorty)
Nitin Gadkari looks on as Rajnath Singh blesses Jui Karkare Navare, as they receive her book, Hemant Karkare: A Daughter’s Memoir.
Ashok Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group (India), with wife Harsha.
Yaakov Finkelstein, Israel Consul-General in Mumbai. (Express photo by Pradip Das)
Col Nitesh Kumar, Group Commander, 26 Special Composite Group, National Security Guard, with wife Priyanka Singh. (Express photo by Pradip Das)
Krishna Prakash, IG, Administration, Maharashtra, at the event.
(Left) Niranjan Hiranandani, Founder and Managing Director, Hiranandani Group of Companies, with Vallabh Bhanshali, Co-Founder of ENAM group.
Anant Goenka, Managing Director, Ceat Ltd.
Shweta Bachchan Nanda at the memorial event.
Shekhar Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director, Bajaj Electricals Limited.
Madhur Bajaj , Trustee, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, with wife Kumud.
Abraham Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Big FM.
Jaspal Singh Bindra, Executive Chairman, Centrum Group.
Divya Salaskar, daughter of late Mumbai Police officer Vijay Salaskar.
Hemendra Kothari, veteran investment banker and Founder, DSP Group.
Ashishkumar Chauhan, Managing Director & CEO, Bombay Stock Exchange.
Sanjay Barve, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, arrives for the memorial event. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Rabbi Yisroel Kozlovsky of Chabad House.
Shaina NC, BJP National Spokesperson.
Puneet Dalmia, Managing Director, Dalmia Bharat Group.
(Left) Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, with Pravin Pardeshi, Municipal Commissioner, Greater Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
Bakul Jain, Managing Director, DCW Ltd.
In video presentations shown at the event, actor Anushka Sharma recited a poem by Naveen Chourey that spoke of the valour and courage of the Indian Armed Forces.
In another presentation, Radhika Apte interviewed Cama hospital nurse Anjali Kulthe along with wardboy Dondhu Raghunath Parab who helped Viju Chauhan deliver her baby while shots were being fired at the hospital.
A visual presentation with actor Vicky Kaushal meeting with the daughter of NSG Commando Havildar Gajendra Singh Bisht, at Nariman House was also shown at the event.
Nandini Dias, Chief Executive Officer, Lodestar UM.
(Left) Vice Admiral Girish Luthra (Retd) with wife Preeti, and Vice-Admiral Ajit Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command.
Gaurav Banerjee, President & Head, Hindi Entertainment, Star India.
Author Shobhaa De at the memorial event.
Yogesh Lakhani, Chief Managing Director, Bright Outdoor.
Minal Bajaj, Honorary Director, Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation, with Manish Kumar Kejriwal, Managing Partner/Co-Founder, Kedaara Capital Investment Managers.
An audience of nearly 2,200 people joined Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, in a standing ovation for Amitabh Bachchan’s performance. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)
Amitabh Bachchan’s stellar performance ended the evening.
