The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks are inscribed in memory for the horrific scenes at the Taj Hotel, CST railway station, and several other sites across the city. However, amid the turmoil, an exceptional act of courage unfolded at Cama and Albless Hospital.
Nurse Anjali Kulthe showed extraordinary composure and bravery, playing a crucial role in rescuing 20 pregnant women as Mumbai was engulfed in terror on one of the darkest nights in the nation’s history.
On the night of November 26, 2008, Anjali Kulthe was working as a staff nurse at Mumbai’s Cama and Albless Hospital for Women and Children. Assigned to the antenatal ward, she was looking after pregnant women when reports of the terror attacks began circulating across the city.
As terrorists Ajmal Kasab and Abu Ismail advanced toward the hospital after assaulting other locations in Mumbai, fear and confusion swept through the premises, making the hospital one of the many sites engulfed in the deadly 26/11 attacks.
Even as fear spread throughout the hospital, Kulthe refused to run. She understood that the women in her ward were among the most at-risk individuals there. Reports state that she moved around 20 pregnant women to a more secure location and instructed them to remain silent so the terrorists would not detect them. Her swift actions ultimately helped save the lives of those patients.
What makes her story even more compelling is that she was unarmed. She had no security detail, no weapon, and no opportunity to prepare. She responded in a moment when panic would have been expected, Kulthe remained composed and put her duty above her fear. Reports also indicate that she later confronted Ajmal Kasab in court while giving testimony related to the attack.
Years later, her bravery continues to receive renewed attention. Her story has inspired the upcoming film Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, starring Kangana Ranaut, who plays a nurse based on Kulthe’s courage during the 26/11 attacks. The film focuses on the lesser-known heroes of Cama Hospital, including nurses, ward boys and other staff members who protected patients during the terror strike.