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Bhubaneswar:Child prodigy Meghali Malvika Swain, identified as the ‘Google Girl’, stunned Women and Child Development Minister Prafulla Samal Wednesday when he asked what Australia stood for. And Meghali detailed a list of all the mountains, prominent cities and rivers that enriched the nation! Samal happened to meet the Google Girl at the foundation day of Orissa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) held at Soochana Bhawan.
The commission felicitated Meghali for her exceptional skills along with seven others. Eleven-year-old Malavika can identify and spot any nation on a blank map and even detail its geographical features. She had entered the India Book of Records (IBR) in 2017 for the fastest recitation of 1,000 river names in the world. The same day she created two more national records by recalling the names 1,000 cities and 1,000 geographical structures of the world. “When I hear something, it immediately gets stuck in my mind and I don’t forget it at all.” She hopes, she can get into the Guinness Book of World Records.
The minister wished Malavika all success and blessed her for her ‘‘bright future’’. OSCPCR also awarded seven other children including Sushree Rajita Majhi from Kalahandi district, Tapan Kumar Samal from Khurda, Pankaj Kumar Mohanta from Keonjhar, Purna Chandra Sahu and Rupali Sahoo from Nayagarh, Udesh and Sushree Liza Gouda from Paralakhemundi on the ocasiion. Parents of Sushree Rajita Majhi had forcibly got her married to a drunkard at an early
age.
She protested against the marriage and sought the government’s support for her. Sushree Liza Gouda also faced similar predicament in Paralakhemundi (Gajapati district) but she raised her voice against child marriage. The Commission felicitated the children for their bold initiative and courage. Meanwhile, Tapan Kumar Samal, a student of Bhubaneswar Upper Primary School received the award for his bravery. He dragged his friend Sanu from falling into a massive hole with a depth of over 30 ft.
Tapan told Orissa POST, “We were playing when our friend Sanu was suddenly slipping down into a huge pit. I immediately grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him out of the danger.” A Pankaj Kumar Mohanta, 14, rescued three drowning women in the river Brahmani. A 12-year-old Purna Chandra Sahu saved his father Mayadhar from the jaws of a crocodile. The minister awarded both the brave kids for their valour at the event. As part of the seventh foundation day of Orissa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Planning and Convergence, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Usha Devi accompanied by Samal launched a yearlong campaign for the protection of child from exploitation and abuse. Samal expressed concern over the sensitive issue of “child exploitation” in the state. He said, “The campaign makers should stand as example before the people. They must help protect children from such situations in their locality.” In this connection, the minister had a word of caution for the teachers who “must treat the students like their sons and daughters at school.”
