Indian expat in UAE honoured as Uzbekistan hero for saving passenger's life mid-flight

Dubai: An Indian expat in the UAE, who is a medical intern in Uzbekistan, has received a prestigious award that honoured him as a hero of the country after his swift emergency response saved an Uzbek passenger's life during a mid-flight medical crisis.

Anees Mohamed, who was raised and educated in Dubai prior to pursuing higher education in medicine, said he received the prestigious national recognition from the Yuksalish Movement, registered with the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan, during a recent ceremony in Tashkent.

The life-saving incident took place earlier this year on July 29, when Anees was flying from Tashkent to Delhi for a medical fellowship, he told Gulf News over the phone.

The 48-year-old female passenger's life hung in the balance when she experienced a severe tachycardia episode, a dangerously rapid heartbeat.

The woman was in an acute state of panic, with irregular breathing and racing heart rate. When the flight crew made an urgent announcement requesting medical assistance, Anees immediately stepped forward.

"Yes, I am a doctor, I can help," the young medical professional responded without hesitation, he recalled.

Anees quickly assessed the patient's vital signs and identified the tachycardia episode. Within seconds, he did something which he gauged will rescue the patient.

“It is called carotid massage. It is an emergency technique used by medical experts to stabilise heart rhythm,” he explained.

The technique involves gentle pressure on the carotid artery in the neck, which can help reset abnormal heart rhythms through stimulation of the vagus nerve. It is the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, connecting the brain to major organs and helping regulate heart rate, digestion, and relaxation.

The woman's condition began improving within 10 to 15 seconds of the intervention.

"She calmed down, her heart rate normalised, and her breathing stabilised,” Anees said. He continued monitoring her condition throughout the remainder of the flight, and she was handed over to medical personnel in stable condition upon landing in Delhi.

The formal recognition ceremony of "Heroes Among Us" brought together heroes from across Uzbekistan who have demonstrated exceptional courage and service to humanity.

Anees said he stood proudly among national honourees, representing not only his educational institution but also the UAE, Dubai, India and Kerala.

“There were many famous persons who were also awarded the same day including the first FIFA official from Uzbekistan, a man with hearing and speech impairments, who rescued a man from a murder attempt, and another group that rescued around 2,000 children who were kidnapped. I was so happy and proud when I was told that I am the first non-Uzbek to receive this award. They also arranged a translator and sign language interpreter for my speech in English,” he recalled.

In his acceptance speech, he dedicated his award to his family, supporters and Tashkent Medical University, which trained him in life-saving procedures.

Born in Kerala, Anees was raised in Dubai where he completed his schooling before pursuing medicine at Kyiv Medical University, in Ukraine. However, he was among those students who had to flee Ukraine following the war with Russia.

Anees then continued his studies with the Tashkent State Medical University, where he is currently doing his medical internship.  The university also issued an official note in appreciation of his life-saving act.

He said his parents Husain Padasseri and Rahmath Nissa T Arakkal, along with siblings Ameen Ahsan, Rana, and Fida, who live in Dubai, always expected big things from him but never imagined an international honour this early in his career.

Prior to this, he was in the news back home for taking part in a major breast cancer surgery to remove a 6kg-tumour during his first fellowship in India.

“I have been blessed to work with some of the top doctors in India. But it all started off in Dubai. I decided to pursue medicine when I got a part-time job with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) for the DAMMI app survey. After my studies I wish to come back and work in Dubai to give back to the community and serve the country as a trauma specialist,” he said.

Outside medicine, Anees is an MMA and kickboxing trainer. “I have trained young athletes in the UAE, India, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. One of them recently won a gold medal at a national kickboxing event in India,” he added.