Neerja strums emotional chords of many even after 3 decades

By-Shaheen Jafri ;
The heroic story of Neerja Bhanot – the 23-year-old youngest Ashoka Chakra Award recipient – has been resonating around the internet lately – thanks to Ram Madhvani’s Neerja.

A lot is being said and heard about her grit and more will be said in the following weeks. But what is true is that she managed to strum the right emotional chords and with more strength even after thirty years and even before it is released. The movie will be screened on Feb 19. WTN spoke to some people to know how they would have reacted had they been in a similar situation and what they feel about Neerja …

Sumeet Chaudhri, Global head of music services, Mofilm, Bangalore said, “There have been times when I have not stood up for people whom I have known for years and who were on the right. This young lady, Neerja, fought for 17 hours for people whom she did not know at all and weren’t even her countrymen. Kudos to her!” When asked further if he would have done the same thing had he been in-charge of flight Pan Am Flight 73 he reverts back with a firm ‘NO”.

Dolly Shrivastava, a homemaker and mother of a teen daughter says, “I can’t imagine the turmoil Neerja’s mother went through. Probably, I don’t even want to know it.” On an emotional edge she adds, “I want to share my feelings on this platform. It is a known fact that every Indian worshiped Martyr Bhagat Singh’s mother Vidyavati and touched her feet in reverence.  A few days back when I was reading about Neerja and the incident, it gave me goose bumps and I felt like touching the feet of her mother. I may sound overwhelmed, but these are my true feelings for her.”

23-year old student pursuing law from Barkatullah University,Harshi Sinha expressing her feelings says, “She had a soldier’s spirit. She is a soldier who chose her battlefield without being deployed by any defence wing.  Many of us think that fighting/ serving or being patriotic means shouting slogans or raising issues. She did nothing of that sort, yet served the world (people of different nations were on board) and humanity.” On a thoughtful note she adds, “While commuting we see so many people hurrying up to be in time at their workplace. How many of us offer lift to them. I am sorry, but it takes a real heart to do what Neerja did.”

-Window To News