The National Bravery Awards 2014 were given away by Prime Minister of India on Friday January 24 to selected Brave Children from different parts of the Country. This year 25 Children have been awarded of which five were given posthumously. Among the awardees, nine were girls.
The awardees received a medal, certificate and cash. They will also get financial assistance until they complete their schooling. They would also take part in Republic Day Parade Ceremony on January 26. Several states would also organise functions to honour them at State Level.
The Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), an NGO that works with the objective of serving children in distress who are orphans and destitutes, has been felicitating brave children since 1957. In 1987-88, ICCW instituted the Bharat Award for an exceptionally outstanding, meritorious and gallant deed. The other special awards include the Geeta Chopra and Sanjay Chopra (instituted by ICCW in 1978) and the Bapu Gaidhani Awards (instituted in 1988-89)
Since the inception of the scheme it has given awards to 871 brave children, 618 boys and 253 girls.
The List of Award Winners for 2014 are given below.
Bharat Awards
Bharat Award has been conferred on 8 ½ year old Kumari Mahika Gupta of Delhi who saved her brother from floods at Kedarnath (Uttarakhand).
Geeta Chopra Award
The Geeta Chopra Award has been conferred to 16 year old Kumari Maleka Singh Tak of Rajasthan who displayed rare grit and determination in fighting off her molesters.
Sanjay Chopra Award
The Sanjay Chopra Award has been given to 17 year old Master Shubam Santosh Chaudari of Maharashtra who saved two children when their school van caught fire.
Bapu Gaidhani Awards
1. Master Sanjay Navasu Sutar (17 ½ years) of Maharashtra
Reason: Outstanding bravery in fighting Leopard.
2. Master Akshay Jairam Roj (13 years) of Maharashtra
Reason: Outstanding bravery in fighting Leopard
3. Late Kum. Mausmi Kashyap (11 years) of Uttar Pradesh
Reason: Sacrificed her life in trying to save a girl from drowning. She has been given the award posthumously.
4. Late Master Aryan Raj Shukla (14 years) of Uttar Pradesh
Reason: Sacrificed his life in saving five lives by his sense of duty and heroic action. He has been given award posthumously.
General Awards
The Recipients of General Bravery Awards are,
- Kumari Shilpa Sharma (Himachal Pradesh): She displayed indomitable courage saved her brother’s life from the attack of the Leopard.
- Master Sagar Kashyap (New Delhi): For displaying extraordinary courage in saving three lives.
- Master Abhishek Ekka (Chhattisgarh): Saved his friends life from drowning in a 40 feet deep well.
- Master S.S. Manoj (Karnataka): He is a 12 year old boy who showed extraordinary courage by saving the life of a 42 years old physically disabled lady.
- Master Subin Mathew (Kerala): Subin Mathew, Akhil Biju and Yadhukrishnan V.S. saved a life with their brave act.
- Master Akhil Biju (Kerala): Subin Mathew, Akhil Biju and Yadhukrishnan V.S. saved a life with their brave act.
- Master Yadhukrishnan V. S. (Kerala): Subin Mathew, Akhil Biju and Yadhukrishnan V.S. saved a life with their brave act.
- Master Saurabh Chandel (Madhya Pradesh): His gallant act saved two lives.
- Kumari Tanvi Nandkumar Ovhal(Maharashtra): She has been awarded for saving her sister’s life by her act of courage.
- Master Rohit Ravi Janmanchi (Maharashtra): His courageous and prompt action thus saved a girl’s life from 6 feet deep and 12 feet wide drain.
- Master Kangleinganba Kshetrimayum (Manipur): His daring act saved two lives.
- Kumari Kharibam Gunichand Devi (Manipur): She saved her cousin’s life from drowning.
- Late Master M. Khayingthei (Manipur): He displayed exemplary courage in rescuing his friend. He has been given award posthumously.
- Master Vanlalhruaia (Mizoram): He saved the life of his friend from drowning.
- Kumari Remlalhruaitluangi(Mizoram):
- Late Kumari Malsawmtluangi (Mizoram): She displayed rare courage in saving several lives from drowning. Malsawmtluangi jumped into the water despite knowing swimming and lost her life in the process. She has been given award posthumously.
- Kumari Hani Ngurdinthari (Mizoram): She along with Malsawmtluangi displayed rare courage in saving several lives from drowning.
- Late Master L. Manio Chachei (Nagaland): He displayed exemplary valour and sacrificing his life in trying to save his friends. He has been given award posthumously.
Paying his tributes to the five brave children who lost their lives while trying to save others last year, the prime minister said: “Mausmi Kashyap and Aryan Raj Shukla from Uttar Pradesh, M. Khayingthei from Manipur, Malsawmtluangi from Mizoram and L. Manio Chachei from Nagaland are not among us today.
Congratulating them, the prime minister said they are the “pride” of the nation.
“We are confident that with such brave children the future of our country is bright. I am confident that your acts of bravery will not only encourage other children, but also inspire all citizens to work for the good of all and to do good work,” he said.
“The youngest among you is seven-year-old Tanvi, who saved her four-year-old sister from drowning. Helping others at such a tender age is not an ordinary thing,” he said.
Manmohan Singh also mentioned the brave deeds done by other children like Shilpa Sharma from Himachal Pradesh who saved a child from a leopard; Shubham Santosh Chaudhari from Maharashtra who saved two girls from a fire; and Malieka Singh Tak who took on four men alone.
“Two days later you will participate in the Republic Day parade. Deeds of your bravery will then be known to the country. It will also be a special day for all of you to participate in the celebrations of Republic Day along with the country’s armed forces,” he said.
He also said that the country expects a lot from them and he has no doubts that they will not falter. “But the sacrifice of these brave children will always inspire the country,” he said.