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Stating this today, vice-president of Haryana State Council for Child Welfare Asha Hooda said the children nominated for the National Bravery Award-2007 include five boys, three of whom would get the award posthumously, and one girl.
The three boys who will get the National Award posthumously are Abhishek and Suraj of Gurgaon and Amol Aghi of Panipat. The other three are Ankit Rai of Faridabad and Amarjeet and Babita of Sonepat.
Seven-year-old Abhishek and nine-year-old Suraj of Gurgaon sacrificed their lives while saving the life of six-year-old Lucky, who had slipped into a water tank in Aurangnagar village in Bhiwani on March 22, 2007. The District Child Welfare Officer, Bhiwani, had recommended the names of these two children for the National Bravery Award.
Amol Aghi (15), who would also be conferred the National Bravery Award posthumously, lost his life while fighting some miscreants when they tried to steal a car parked outside his house on December 11, 2006. For his exemplary courage, he was awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Panipat District Administration on the occasion of Republic Day celebrations last year. He was also presented the Bhagwati Parkash Bhatnagar Memorial Award for striving for excellence and service for sacrifice by Haryana Governor Dr A.R. Kidwai on August 21, 2007.
Seven-year-old Ankit Rai of Faridabad, who was kidnapped for a ransom of Rs 7 lakh on April 6, 2007, but succeeded in escaping, will be the fourth recipient of the National Bravery Award. He lost an arm while trying to escape.
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had given a cheque for Rs 51,000 to help the brave child. The Prime Minister’s Office also gave an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to Ankit. The PMO had also offered help for an artificial limb through AIIMS, New Delhi, and financial assistance to meet the immediate medical expenses.
Another child, 15-year-old Amarjeet of Balikutubpur in Sonepat, had shown exemplary courage in saving the lives of schoolchildren when their bus fell into the western Yamuna canal on August 1, 2006. Amarjeet was also travelling in the same bus. Without caring for his own life, he saved the lives of three children and helped in rushing the seriously injured children to the hospital.
Babita, a student of Class XI, who was also travelling in the same bus, also showed exemplary courage and pulled out six children to safety by using her dupatta. Both Amarjeet and Babita were honoured by the Governor on the occasion of Independence Day celebrations on August 15, 2006, for their bravery.
