When terrorists hijacked a Pan American World Airways flight in 1986 and started detonating explosives and opening fire, flight attendant Neerja Bhanot knew she could save herself once she opened one of the airplane’s doors. Instead, she stayed and helped others to safety. Bhanot died that day, but her actions were not forgotten by those who survived.
Bhanot was born in Chandigarh, India on Sept. 7, 1963 to a father who was a journalist. At 16, she became a model posing for advertisements for multiple companies. At 21, Bhanot agreed to an arranged marriage to a man from the United Arab Emirates that lasted two months because of abuse.
