6. Neerja Bhanot, a brave air hostess
She made a memorable mark on the world with her self-sacrifice when she was the flight attendant on the Pan Am hijacking (1986) at Karachi.
The flight was heading from Mumbai to New York via Pakistan and Germany.While at Karachi, terrorists came aboard in an attempt to hijack.
She warned the plane's pilots so they could escape.
Their quick getaway made the hijacking fail because the terrorists were stuck on the ground.
In the final bloodbath at the end of the hijacking, Neerja was killed, just two days ahead of her 23rd birthday.
Not only had she assured the failure of the hijacking by preventing the plane from getting off the ground, she also saved the lives of hostages in those long hours of incarceration.
She hid the passports of American passengers from the Arabic speaking gunmen, giving them a chance to escape the homicidal wrath of the intruders.
For her bravery, the Government of India posthumously awarded her the Ashok Chakra. She is the youngest recipient of Ashok Chakra till date. In 2004, the Indian Postal Service released a stamp commemorating her.
