India, Oct. 7 -- When I first heard of Smit Machchhar - the pilot of the flydubai flight that would have been deliberately crashed by his co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, had Machchhar not fought back, sustained serious injuries, and still managed to open the cockpit door - I was reminded of the words from the Bhagavad Gita, "Remember me and fight" (8.7). In an online conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said that, as he lay on the floor, fighting for his life and that of his crew and fliers, the Hanuman Chalisa was running through his mind as he recites it every morning during worship.

The Hanuman Chalisa is one of the two most popular Hindu prayers today. Hanuman is a symbol not only for athletes but also for pilots bec...