New Delhi: Three girls from the state who have carved a niche by showing extraordinary courage while saving the lives of people will be conferred with the ICCW National Bravery Awards 2019.
10-year-old Srimati Badra of Angul has rescued her friend from a railway accident in November 2018. Srimati along with her friend Pramila Munda was crossing the railway track to return to their slum. A goods train standing at the railway crossing suddenly started moving. While Srimati crossed the track, Pramila fell on it and shouted for help. Srimati pulled her friend out of the track. She took Pramila on her soldier and ran towards her home for almost 300 metres. The child was, then, rushed to a nearby hospital and later shifted to Cuttack. Srimati will be conferred with ICCW Dhruva Award for her bravery.
Similarly, Purnima Giri, 15, and Sabita Giri,15, of Kendrapara district will be conferred with ICCW Dhruva Award for their exemplary courage in saving lives of 12 persons. It was January 2, 2019, when 52 members returning from a picnic party in a boat faced life threatening situation near Nipania village in the river. The boat sank in the river having crocodiles and the people started shouting for help. Both girls jumped into the river and save lives of 12 persons. 11 of the picnickers were killed in the incident.
The ICCW (Indian Council for Child Welfare) has selected 22 children, 10 girls and 12 boys, for Bravery Awards-2019 from 12 states. One award has been given posthumously. The coveted Bharat Award has been conferred on 15-year-old Adithya K from Kerala who saved more than 40 lives when a bus they were travelling in caught fire. The awardees will be conferred with bravery awards on the eve of Republic Day. The awardees will receive a medal, certificate and cash.
The awardees will be granted financial assistance until they complete their schooling.
In addition, ICCW provides financial assistance under its sponsorship scheme to those undertaking profession courses such as engineering and medicine. The ICCW has since 1957 awarded 1,004 awardees, 703 boys and 301 girls.
