24 children to get bravery awards

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Jan 17: Twenty four children – eight girls and 16 boys – have been selected for the National Bravery Awards for the year 2014.Four of the awards have been given posthumously.The coveted Bharat Award for showing exceptionally gallant deed has been conferred on 16½ year old Km Resham Fatma of Uttar Pradesh, a victim of acid attack, for putting on a brave face while fighting off her tormentor.The prestigious Geeta Chopra Award has been conferred on13½ year old Km.Gunjan Sharma of Assam who displayed exemplary valour in saving her friends from the clutches of the abductor, according to a PIB release.The Sanjay Chopra Award has been given to 16½ year old Master Devesh Kumar of Uttar Pradesh who displayed outstanding courage while confronting two chain-snatchers.Master Rumoh Meto (13½ years) of Arunachal Pradesh, Late Km Riya Chaudhary (15 years) of Uttar Pradesh and Late Km.Monika (16 years) of Uttarakhand have been given the Bapu Gaidhani Awards.Master Rumoh Meto saved a person from electrocution, Km Riya Chaudhary sacrificed her life while trying to save her father when some miscreants, who attacked her family members.Km Monika lost her life while trying to save a child from drowning.The other recipients are Km Zeal Jitendra Marathe, Master Hiral Jitubhai Halpati and Late Master Gaurav Kumar Bharti (all from Gujarat), Master Sahanesh R (Karnataka), Km Ashwini Bandu Ughade (Maharashtra), Master L.Brainson Singh and Master G.Tooldev Sharma (both from Manipur), Km.Ripa Das (Tripura), Master Balram Dansena (Chhattisgarh), Master Rajdeep Das (Jharkhand), Master Anjith.P, Master Aqil Mohammad NK and Master Midhun PP (all from Kerala), Master Stevenson Lawriniang (Meghalaya), Late Master Mesak K.Remnalalnghaka (Mizoram), Ms.Mhonbeni Equng (Nagaland), Master Labhanshu (Uttarakhand) and Late Master Gaurav Kumar Bharti (Uttar Pradesh) The selection was made by a high powered committee comprising representatives of various Ministries/Departments, non-governmental organisations as well as office bearers of Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW).The children will receive their awards from the Prime Minister January 24 in a special function and will participate in the Republic Day parade.The President of India and several other dignitaries will also host receptions in their honour.Several States also organise functions to honour them at the State level.The National Bravery Award Scheme was initiated by the ICCW to give due recognition to the children who distinguish themselves by performing outstanding deeds of bravery and meritorious service and to inspire other children to emulate their examples.It was in 1957 that two children – a boy and a girl – were first rewarded for their presence of mind and courage.Since then ICCW decided to confer national awards on children every year.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 awards (instituted by ICCW in 1978) and the BapuGaidhani Awards (instituted in 1988-89).The awardees receive a medal, certificate and cash.Eligible awardees will be granted financial assistance until they complete their schooling.Some State Governments also provide financial assistance to them.In addition, ICCW provides financial assistance under its Indira Gandhi Scholarship Scheme to those undertaking professional courses such as engineering and medicine.For the others, this assistance is provided till they complete their graduation.The Government of India has reserved some seats for the awardees in medical and engineering colleges and polytechnics.Since the inception of the scheme in 1957, the ICCW has given awards to 895 brave children – 634 boys and 261 girls.