Twenty-three children selected for National Bravery Awards 2010

NEW DELHI - Twenty-three children have been selected for the National Bravery Awards 2010, which would be presented to them by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at a special function on the eve of the Republic Day.

Out of the total 23 children, eight children from northeastern states will receive the awards. Two awards will be given posthumously. The awardees will participate in the Republic Day parade.

The prestigious Geeta Chopra Award has been conferred on 13-year-old Jismi P.M. of Kerala, who saved two children from drowning. The Sanjay Chopra Award has been given to 11-year-old Master Priyanshu Joshi of Uttarakhand, who saved his sister from a leopard.

Vishnudas K. (17 years) of Kerala, Moonis Khan (15 years) of Madhya Pradesh and Ipi Basar (16 years) of Arunachal Pradesh have been given the Bapu Gaidhani Awards.

Vishnudas saved two children from drowning. Moonis Khan saved an old man from a railway accident, while Ipi Basar saved two lives in a fire incident.

The other recipients are: Kalpana Sonowal and Rekhamoni Sonowal (Assam), Rahul Kurrey and Parvati Amlesh (Chhattisgarh), Anoop. M. and Raj Narayanan (Kerala), Rohit Maruti Mulik (Maharashtra), Md. Nurul Huda (Manipur), Freedy Nongsiej and Lovelystar K. Sohphoh (Meghalaya), Lalmawizuali (Mizoram), Gurjeevan Singh (Punjab), Late Chhampa Kanwar and Shrawan Kumar (Rajasthan), Bibek Sharma (Sikkim), Uttam Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Late Shruti Lodhi (Uttarakhand) and Sunita Murmu (West Bengal).

The National Bravery Award Scheme is an endeavour by the Indian Council for Child Welfare to give due recognition to the children who show exceptional courage and perform meritorious service to inspire others to emulate their example.

Children will get a medal, certificate and cash under the scheme and the awardees will be granted financial assistance until they complete their schooling.

The government has reserved some seats for the awardees in medical and engineering colleges and polytechnics. (ANI)