Kendrapara: The seven-and-a-half-year-old wonder girl, Mamata Dalai, who bagged the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) National Bravery Award 2017 (Third Special Category) for saving her cousin from the jaws of a crocodile April 4, 2017, has been nominated for the Jeevan Raksha Padak. She will receive it from the President August 15 at New Delhi.
Friday Mamata received a cheque for Rs 1 lakh from Additional District Magistrate Basant Rout. The office of the President’s Secretary had sent the cheque to the district administration.
Mamata, a resident of Bankual in Rajnagar, located near the Bhitarkanika National Park, makes the district as well as state proud. “I feel proud to be the father of Mamata,” said Nirmala Dalai, the father of Mamata.
“I am excited to meet the President,” said a jubilant Mamata, after receiving the cheque.
The President has approved the conferment of Jeevan Raksha Padak Series of Awards – 2017 on 44 persons. This includes Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak for seven, Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak for 13 and Jeevan Raksha Padak for 24 persons. Seven of the awards are posthumous, said official sources.
Asanti Dalai of Bankuala, located near the Dangamala Crocodile Rearing and Research inside Bhitarkanika National Park, was rescued in critical condition from the jaws of a 5.2 metre long estuarine crocodile due to the timely act of her cousin, Mamata.
While Asanti was entering a pond to float a banana log boat behind her house with Mamata, the crocodile pounced on her hand and made an attempt to take her into the water.
Seeing her cousin in trouble, Mamata, who was standing near the pond, took a bamboo stick and hit the head of the crocodile. The crocodile left Asanti and escaped into the water.
For her courageous act, Mamata has also received the Bapu Gaidhani Award under the ICCW National Bravery Awards 2017 (Third Special Category)-2017 at New Delhi from the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of Republic Day at New Delhi.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also felicitated Mamata and Asanti April 13, 2017.
October 29, the CM felicitated Mamata with an award and a cheque of Rs 10,000, while observing the Orissa Disaster Preparedness Day and National Day for Disaster Reduction.
PNN
