“Be Brave and Sensible in Bad Times, Sometimes our duty is more than it is supposed to be” is the core message I understood from Neerja Bhanot’s brave story. I happen to learn her brave tale through the movie "Neerja"directed by Ram Madhvani.
Her words "I am just doing my duty. Let me do my job" inspired me to the core, whilst she was placated in extremely difficult and high pressure situation. Her service to the passengers with water and food was incredible and I do not find words to explain her compassion to her duty and to the people on board. On that need of the hour, she not only chose to perform her duty but also uncovered different ways to lead the situation through her courage and sensibility. She recalibrated her courage by taking some time and then on proceeded with her commitment to save people on board.
It was perfect example of "Situational Leadership". Her mother Rama Bhanot and Father Harish Bhanot cajoled each other in finest methods and kept their hope on thinking positive in that difficult situation. Infact, on the night of the flight, her mother tried to convince her to call her airlines and ask for leave, because she had been working on a modelling project the whole day. But a committed Neerja decided to go for her duty. The movie “Neerja” made me learn insights into below themes.
- In case, we get engulfed with bad and high pressure situations… how to respond sensibly and bravely?
- Fear is one of the abstract causes for most of our perennial problems. Fear can subside our real ability and real personality to rise to the situation. How to negotiate with "Fear" in bad times and bring our own real self in such situations?
- With duty mindedness, how one can become humanely compassionate to the people who are under stress/need?
- How to break a bad news? How to take care of each other in such situations?
- How to become astutely positive when we are ambiguous situations?
- How parent’s heart beat for their children?
- Similar to thorns of a rose, most of the heroic tales do have rugged past behind.
- Inside every problem, there lies an opportunity waiting to be let out.
- You do not need to be commander in chief to solve the crisis situations. Any role/character can rise to the situation and solve the problem.
- Firm commitment towards nobler goals can find ways to solve the problem at hand.
I salute Neerja's bravery where she saved 360 passengers out of 379 on board! Her story is inspiring for generations...
Only missing part in the entire story.. God could have kept the legend alive at the end...I admire Neerja's parents, Rama and Harish Bhanot for founding a fitting way to honour Neerja’s memory. With the insurance money that they received after her death and an equal contribution from Pan Am, they set up the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust. Through the Trust, they present two awards of Rs. 1,50,000 every year – one to an Indian woman who faces social injustice but overcomes it and helps other women in similar situations, and one to honour an airline crew member who acts beyond the call of duty. There could hardly have been a better way to keep Neerja’s memory alive.
Only missing part in the entire story.. God could have kept the legend alive at the end...I admire Neerja's parents, Rama and Harish Bhanot for founding a fitting way to honour Neerja’s memory. With the insurance money that they received after her death and an equal contribution from Pan Am, they set up the Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust. Through the Trust, they present two awards of Rs. 1,50,000 every year – one to an Indian woman who faces social injustice but overcomes it and helps other women in similar situations, and one to honour an airline crew member who acts beyond the call of duty. There could hardly have been a better way to keep Neerja’s memory alive.
It is interesting to note that one of the three children that Neerja was trying to save when she was shot is now a pilot...