The Hindu : New Delhi News : Looking beyond a few minutes of fame

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 21, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Looking beyond a few minutes of fame

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 20. They are the stuff that heroes are made of. Sitting tall on elephant backs wearing maroon blazers at the Republic Day Parade next week would be these 19 extraordinary kids. Brave and courageous are only a few adjectives to describe the sheer fearlessness of these children who are often larger in life than most adults. But the stories of the brave don't always make for happy endings.

For differently-abled Hotilal, the never-ending corridors of South Block are probably one of the few government offices he didn't get thrown out from. A National Bravery Award winner this year, he might have rescued two women from drowning in the Yamuna. But he is fighting a battle with the establishment to lead an ordinary life.

The other kids rattled off their stories easily at an interaction with the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukerjeee, today, as Hotilal silently sipped his drink. Unable to tell his story himself, he is desperately trying to shake off the tag of being "normal". While it may be a politically-correct label activists would approve of, his father, a labourer, who can't make ends meet, can't afford to be `sensitive'.

"He can't put on his clothes or do anything for himself. But the chief medical officer refuses to give him a certificate that he is disabled. He claims that he can move his hands about and so he is normal. My wife can't go out to work because someone needs to look after him. But he still managed to save these two women. I am proud of him," said his father.

Bright young children who risk their lives to save others, these 19 are all special. But there are few who often have bigger battles to fight than just danger and probably deserve more than just the thundering applause and five minutes of fame.

Kandha Kumar who will get the Babu Gayadhani Award posthumously for bravery, won't notice the spotlight. Having paid with his life to save two other children, his father is the only adult sitting among the children. Kandha's father is proud, but fears that his son's precious life might have gone in vain. "He did not listen to me. I told him when he sees danger he should go the other way. He was coming home from school when his van suddenly stopped at an unmanned railway crossing. The driver ran away, but my son pulled out two other children. When he tried to get the third out, the train rammed into the van killing him," he said.

An intelligent boy who loved science, his father knows that he will never recover from the death of his son. "I had three children. One of my daughters also died. I have lost interest in life. There is still no board at the crossing. The incident has already happened, I lost my son in it. I just have a small request, there should be a board at the crossing," he said.

Fifteen-year-old Babli from Uttaranchal is enjoying her rare "break" these days. Working in a rope-making factory, she does not know the luxury of childhood. While she has saved seven children from the river, she probably deserves as much praise for her everyday life. "I have nine siblings. I always wanted to study. I wish I could study and do some sort of job. I have a younger brother who we will send to school for sure," she said with a smile. And her optimism is what probably makes her a role model.

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