THE Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust has invited nominations for the prestigious Neerja Bhanot Awards-2006.
The Awards were constituted in 1990 and are given annually in memory of Neerja Bhanot, the brave 23-year-old Indian airhostess who gave up her life while saving the lives of hundreds of other passengers on board a Pan Am flight hijacked at Karachi airport on September 5, 1986.
Neerja is the youngest recipient of India’s highest civilian award for bravery, the Ashoka Chakra.
There are two awards, comprising Rs 1.5 lakh, a trophy and a citation each. The first award is given to an Indian woman who, when subjected to social injustice like dowry and desertion, faced the situation with guts and grit and then helped women in similar social distress.
The second award is given to a flight crew member, worldwide, who acts beyond the call of duty in a difficult situation.
Nominations can be sent on plain paper by anyone, including self nominations in English or Hindi. There is no nomination or any other fees. Nominations must be supported by as much documentary evidence as possible. The recipients of the awards will be selected by a specially-constituted jury and the awards will be presented at a special ceremony in Chandigarh in October.
The last date for entries is September 25 and the nominations need to be sent to Harish Bhanot, Managing Trustee, Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust, First Floor, House No. 3727, Sector 46-C, Chandigarh-160 047, or e-mail to ‘aneesh.bhanot@gmail.com’.