After a movie on her life, a Coffee Table book The Neerja I Knew, on Neerja Bhanot, was released here on Wednesday.
The book, conceptualised and compiled by Aneesh Bhanot, brother of Neerja Bhanot, has a number of photographs of Neerja and has two versions — hardback and paperback.
Aneesh said, “This book is a tribute to my younger sister - Neerja - who showed the world true meaning of courage, commitment and compassion. There are 11 chapters in the book with each chapter written by people who knew her and have related big and small incidents and delightful experiences they hadwith Neerja. Six of her school and college mates – Vrinda, Sunita, Eli, Naomi, Jabeen and Shantala – have written a chapter each".
He said Wendy, who was her Trainer at Pan Am and gave her anti-hijack training too has written a chapter.
Dharmendra Shah, who was a passenger on the plane and survived the hijack, Akhil Bhanot, Neerja’s brother, Atul Kasbekar who has produced the film Neerja, have all written a chapter each.
Neerja was the Senior Flight Purser on a Pan Am flight which was hijacked at Karachi airport by 4 heavily armed hijackers. She showed utmost bravery in saving the passengers but lost her own life in the process.