Kendrapara: Situ Mallick, 15, of Kandira village, who received the Indian Council for Child Welfare’s (ICCW) National Bravery Award-2018 at New Delhi for saving his 28-year-old uncle’s life February 20, 2018, has returned to Kendrapara.
He was felicitated at a district-level function Wednesday held as part of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi organised at Marshaghai College by the administration and the college authorities.
Mallick was given a citation, a shawl and a bouquet by the Minister of Finance, Excise, Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Shashi Bhushan Behera and Mahakalapara MLA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak. Collector Dasarathi Satapathy also attended the programme. “I am happy I was felicitated here in my district,” said Situ.
Talking to the media, Situ said when he came to know that he had been selected for the ICCW’s National Bravery Award-2018 (Bapu Gaidhani Award-2018) and will receive the award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and would be felicitated by President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan he was immensely happy.
“January 25 when I went to the New Delhi-based Indian Habitat Centre for receiving the ICCW’s National Bravery Award-2018, I was excited a lot. But when I came to know that the PM and the President would not attend the ceremony I felt sad. My dreams of meeting the PM and the President were shattered. A retired Admiral gave me the citation, a medal, gift and a cash award of Rs 24,000,” said Situ.
Generally the winners of ICCW’s Bravery Awards are brought to New Delhi and the PM congratulates them. They are also hosted by the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and they take part in the Republic Day parade. It gives a huge morale boost not only to the selected children, but also sends a strong message to all children.
The entire country watches them march through Rajpath. But this year they could not take part in the parade too.
Situ was happy as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik felicitated him Tuesday along with three other brave hearts at the Secretariat and gave him a gift and Rs 1 lakh.
The presence of mind of Situ, who was studying in Class X at the Basudev Bidyapitha, saved the life of his uncle Binod Mallick on the night of February 20, 2018 in Kandira village.
Binod had gone to guard the harvested paddy kept in the yard with his nephew Situ. Later, Binod went to relieve himself nearby and then to the Daruora canal.
While entering the canal an estuarine crocodile about 12 to 15 feet long pounced on his left hand and dragged him into the canal. Binod screamed for help, and his nephew Situ who was standing on the canal’s bank rushed to his rescue.
Situ switched on the torch, focussed the light on the eyes of the crocodile and hit its head with a stick. The crocodile fled leaving his uncle. Situ dragged his injured uncle to the banks of the canal.
With the help of others, Binod was brought home. He was injured seriously on his hand and thigh and was rushed to the Rajnagar CHC. The next day he was taken to a Bhubaneswar-based private hospital.
“We are delighted with our son as he made us as well as the district proud by bagging ICCW’s National Bravery Award,” said Situ’s father Meghanad Mallick.
PNN
