These children from Northeast India will make you proud!
"Bravery is a state of mind. A healthy body helps, but the prime moving force is the mind. Therefore, we need to make the mind strong," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he presented the National Bravery Awards to some of India's most courageous children on January 23, 2016.
Here are the incredibly inspiring stories of this year's winners.
#1 Tarh Peeju, Arunachal Pradesh– On May 19, 2016, 9-year-old Tarh Peeju drowned while saving her friends Phassang Marry and Tarh Charu when they attempted to cross Pachin River in Naharlagun. A Class IV student at Alphabet Public School in Nirjuli, Tarh jumped into the turbulent river and dragged both Marry and Charu to safety. However, she herself was submerged and swept downstream by the strong current of the river. Displaying unbelievable courage, Tarh sacrificed her life in saving her friends and was posthumously conferred the Bharat Award (the top honour at the National Bravery Awards).
#2 Roluahpuii, Mizoram– Roluahpuii, a 13-year-old girl of Mizoram was given the Bapu Gaidhani Award posthumously for her timely and valorous act that saved two of her schoolmates from drowning. The incident occurred on the morning of March 3, 2016, when the teaching staff and students of a government school had gone to Tuivawl river for a picnic. Roluahpuii was playing with her friends when she heard the panicked screams of her schoolmates caught in a whirlpool in the 18-feet-deep river. Immediately diving in, Roluahpuii rescued two of her friends and was helping others when she was herself entrapped by the strong current and dragged inside the whirlpool.
#3 H. Lalhriatpuii, Mizoram– Another brave young girl from Mizoram, H. Lalhriatpuii won the Bapu Gaidhani Award posthumously for sacrificing her life in an effort to save her cousin. On the morning of March 18, 2016, Lalhriatpuii and her elder brother were unloading goods from the car when, accidentally, the car slid downward on the steep road with her 2-year-old cousin inside. Failing in his attempt to stop the hurtling car, Lalhriatpuii's brother moved back and advised her to do the same as it had become dangerous. However, the determined girl continued in her attempts to stop the car. While she managed to safely pull her cousin out of the car, Lalhriatpuii was run over by the car and succumbed to her injuries.
#4 Thanghilmang Lunkim, Nagaland– Thanghilmang Lunkim, a Class 6 student, was recognised for saving the life of another student after the latter had fallen into a river while crossing a river bridge. On the afternoon of September 15, 2015, two students, who were brothers, were walking on the Mezoma bridge. As the bridge was slippery, one of them fell off it and was swept away by the raging current. His helpless brother screamed for help. Thanghilmang, who was returning from school, heard his screams and rushed to the spot. He jumped into the 5-feet-deep river and swam almost 120 metres to reach the student. Getting a hold of the drowning boy, he returned to the shore and pulled him out safely.
#5 Tankeswar Pegu, Assam– Tankeswar Pegu, who hails from Rongamati Doital Gaon in Assam's Golaghat district, saved a woman from drowning in the Dhansiri river. On June 20, 2016, Tankeshwar was going to tuition classes when he was startled by a voice from the river, screaming for help. When he looked around, he saw a woman being swept away by the river. Immediately jumping in, he managed to catch a hold of her by the hair and pull her to the bank, saving her.
#6 Moirangthem Sadananda Singh, Manipur– Moirangthem Sadananda Singh, a 14-year-old from Manipur, was recognised for rescuing his mother from severe electrocution. It was raining incessantly on May 6, 2016, when an electric water pump (connected by an extension cord to socket in the kitchen) short-circuited and exploded in a burst of sparks. When Moirangthem's mother tried to unplug the pin, she got a shock. Hearing her cries, Moirangthem rushed to the kitchen and found his mother in the grip of an electric current. He immediately broke the wooden curtain rod and used it to loosen his mother's hand before rushing her to the hospital.
TNT News with inputs from The Better India
