2 min readUpdated: Oct 20, 2026 10:35 AM ISTRSS chief Mohan Bhagwat lauded Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar on his efforts to save lives.RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his Vijayadashami address on October 20, cited Indian pilot Smit Machchhar’s actions during an alleged hijacking attempt on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight to explain what he described as the “Hindu temperament”. Bhagwat referred to Machchhar’s response to the attack as an example of how cultural conditioning shapes a person’s actions in a crisis, linking it to the values and upbringing that influence an individual’s conduct in difficult circumstances.Machchhar was hit on the head with a crash axe by his co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, in the cockpit on September 30. Despite repeatedly losing consciousness, Machchhar told Sky News Arabia that he made himself act because he could not accept his death. He eventually opened the cockpit door, allowing cabin crew, passengers and off-duty pilots to restrain the co-pilot. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and all 180 people on board disembarked safely. UAE authorities are investigating the incident as an attempted hijacking, and al-Hammami has been arrested.Machchhar, who has more than 15 years of commercial flying experience, has been hailed as a hero for actions that likely saved more than 170 lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his courage and quick thinking, saying they had prevented a possible “9/11-like incident”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also called him a “true hero”.Bhagwat also described Hindu consciousness as India’s national consciousness, saying it was not defined by religion, food habits or political ideology. “This Bharatiyata is Hindu consciousness. It can take everyone along without changing anyone,” he said, stressing the importance of respecting the country’s ancestors and those who had sacrificed for it. He called on India to develop a new model of development and present it to the world, identifying global fraternity as a key feature of this consciousness.© The Indian Express Pvt LtdVikas Pathak is deputy associate editor with The Indian Express and writes on national politics. He has over 17 years of experience, and has worked earlier with The Hindustan Times and The Hindu, among other publications. He has covered the national BJP, some key central ministries and Parliament for years, and has covered the 2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and many state assembly polls. He has interviewed many Union ministers and Chief Ministers. Vikas has taught as a full-time faculty member at Asian College of Journalism, Chennai; Symbiosis International University, Pune; Jio Institute, Navi Mumbai; and as a guest professor at Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. Vikas has authored a book, Contesting Nationalisms: Hinduism, Secularism and Untouchability in Colonial Punjab (Primus, 2018), which has been widely reviewed by top academic journals and leading newspapers. He did his PhD, M Phil and MA from JNU, New Delhi, was Student of the Year (2005-06) at ACJ and gold medalist from University Rajasthan College in Jaipur in graduation. He has been invited to top academic institutions like JNU, St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and IIT Delhi as a guest speaker/panellist. ... Read More Tags:Mohan BhagwatRSSAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...AdvertisementAdvertisement