When Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, Friday held a deeply moving video call with Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who thwarted an alleged attempt by his Omani co-pilot to crash a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight shared details of how he could facilitate the entry of the passengers and crew into the locked cockpit despite grave injuries by simply drawing upon his faith in Mahabali Hanumanji.
Speaking from his hospital bed, the bandaged captain told the Prime Minister that the sacred verses of the Hanuman Chalisa had given him the inner strength to act in those critical seconds.
“Whenever I am in pain, I recite the Hanuman Chalisa. At that time too, I only kept reciting the Hanuman Chalisa,” Smit shared. Pinned to the ground after the brutal and horrific, lifethreatening attack, the clear and present danger was that if he passed out or died, the suicidal co-pilot terrorist would have the cabin completely to himself and would most certainly take the plane down. Lives of nearly 180 people depended on what Captain Smit could muster at that hour in a matter of seconds.
#WATCH | PM Modi speaks with Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar through a video call and praises his courage, presence of mind and composure in how he saved many lives
The PM says to Captain Smit, "The whole country is praying for you. Maha Mrityunjay Jaap is being done for you and… pic.twitter.com/TCj3NDqASp
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2026
From his hospital bed, Captain Smit told the PM how he had been stabbed multiple times and lay injured on the cockpit floor, and knew the aircraft was in grave danger. Drawing on years of experience and the power of the prayer he turns to in every difficulty, he said he gathered the will to open the cockpit door.
Passengers and crew then rushed in, restrained the attacker, and helped bring the aircraft safely to the ground in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Over 170 lives were saved.
Faith and presence of mind in the face of terror
Smit told the Prime Minister he had been flying for more than 17 years and serving as captain for 11. Even with his eyes closed he could sense what was unfolding and sense what the status of the flying machine while in air was.
“I told myself that if I do not get up, I will be dead,” he said. His focus remained on saving lives rather than his own wounds. He used his faith in God to push himself just enough to pull the latch down and open the cockpit door to the passengers and crew who immediately rushed in and overpowered the attacker. Just prior to that, Captain Smit had punched in the emergency Squawk alert codes to the control towers.
The chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, he explained, kept him centred and resolute. PM Modi responded with warmth and national pride.
“The whole country is praying for you. Maha Mrityunjay Jaap is being done for you and your health. Your courage, presence of mind and composure saved many lives. The country can proudly say that Indians are not those who take lives, but those who are willing to risk their lives to save others”.
Saving the reputation of Indian pilots
In a pointed observation that resonated with the wider conversation around the incident, the Prime Minister noted the stakes involved. Had the flight met with disaster, questions would have been raised about India and the competence of Indian pilots.
“Had this not happened, who knows what India would have had to face, what all Indian pilots would have had to endure, and how Indian pilots would have been viewed. You have saved everyone. You have done a very big thing,” PM Modi told the captain.
Smit’s quick thinking and selflessness not only prevented a potential catastrophe but also upheld the image of Indian professionals on the global stage. The Prime Minister’s words underscored a larger truth: the actions of one brave Indian reflected the character of the nation.
Values of Bhagavad Gita and a family of faith
PM Modi spoke with special affection about Smit’s mother, Geeta Ben. He recalled telling her that though her name is Geeta, she had fully absorbed the teachings of Bhagwan Shri Krishna’s Bhagwad Gita and raised her son with those values.
The Prime Minister also mentioned speaking with the pilot’s father Bhupendra Bhai and wife Sonal Ben, and expressed admiration for the family’s composure. Towards the close of the conversation, the two switched to Gujarati. PM Modi observed that the pilot’s parents were ideal in every sense. In a moment of crisis they showed no panic and engaged in no blame game.
Their demeanour remained calm, marked by complete faith in God. Smit smiled and acknowledged the strength his family had shown. The exchange highlighted the quiet resilience and spiritual grounding that define many Indian households.
A nation united in prayer and pride
The Prime Minister informed Smit that temples across the country, from Somnath to Kashi Vishwanath and beyond, had held special prayers and aartis for his recovery. India, he said, is eagerly waiting to welcome its hero home.
PM Modi also thanked the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the excellent medical care being provided and assured the captain, “I am only a phone call away whenever you need me”.
Captain Smit, visibly moved throughout the interaction, told the Prime Minister that speaking with him was a moment he had never imagined. “You are my biggest idol”, he said. The call left both men affirming the power of courage guided by faith.
In the Hanuman Chalisa that sustained him in the cockpit and in the calm faith of his parents, Captain Smit Machchhar embodied the living tradition of Sanatan values. His actions reminded the world that Indians stand ready to risk everything to protect life.
