22 children to get bravery awards

Twenty-one others, including four girls, will receive their awards from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ahead of 63rd Republic Day.

The youngest among them is seven-year-old Koroungamba Kuman from Manipur, who showed outstanding bravery and saved his younger sister from devastating fire which broke out in his house.

The names of 22 bravehearts were announced by Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) here today.

The award is given every year to children who show exemplary courage in difficult situations.

This year, 17-year-old Tarang Atulbhai Mistry from Gujarat has been chosen for the coveted 'Bharat Award' for saving the lives of four people who were drowning in the 20-25 feet deep waters of Narmada river after being swept away in the current while taking bath on the occasion of Dhuelti.

The prestigious 'Geeta Chopra' award has been conferred on a 17-year-old girl who was instrumental in exposing the physical and sexual abuse of the inmates of a children's home in Delhi by the owner and staff.

Unable to take on more abuse, she managed to escape and approached an NGO, who presented her before the Child Welfare Committee. Her plight forced the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights to send a team which learnt of the physical, psychological and sexual abuse of children, selling of babies, forced labour and other inhumane acts inflicted upon the hapless destitute children.

11-year-old Gajendra Ram from Chhattisgarh is being felicitated with 'Sanjay Chopra' award, for saving a child from drowning in a 22-feet deep well. MORE