Nominations called for Neerja Bhanot Awards-2006

Chandigarh, Sep 4 (UNI) The Neerja Bhanot Pan Am Trust today called for nominations for the prestigious Neerja Bhanot Awards-2006 which would be given next month.

The Awards, constituted in 1990, are given annually in the 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 consisting of Rs 1,50,000, a trophy and a citation each. The first is given to an Indian woman who, when subjected to social injustice like dowry, desertion and so on, faced the situation with guts and grit and then helped women in similar social distress. The second 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, and must be supported by as much documentary evidence as possible.

The awards will be presented at a special ceremony held at Chandigarh next month.

UNI VKJ VD PC1803