The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Governor gives away bravery awards

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Governor gives away bravery awards

Special Correspondent

Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards are presented for ‘Physical Bravery’ and ’Social Acts of Courage’

PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Great job: Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awardees (L toR) Yogesh Srivastava, T. N. Snehan and S. A. Meharuddin in Hyderabad on Wednesday. —

HYDERABAD: They are all men of selfless service, driven by a passion to help those in peril and distress pledging their own lives.

Hailing from humble backgrounds and different states, the Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award winners, stood tall for their acts of exemplary courage and compassion for fellow human beings.

They brought with them a powerful message - all you need is a big heart and not riches to make society a better place to live in.

Harmanjit Singh of Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards says the awards given away under ‘Physical Bravery’ and “Social Acts of Courage’ were won by Kalyan Guha, S.A. Maharuddin, Monindra Roy, Rajesh Gopalrao, Shyam Sunder Jal, Bipin Ganotra, Yogesh Srivastava, Bangalore-based NGO Saahas and T.N. Snehan.

The Mind-of-Steel award was given to Nabin Amanatya, a polio-afflicted person, for his grit to make something out of his life.

The awards were given away by Governor Narayan Datt Tiwari on Wednesday.

Helping blast victims

City-based Yogesh Srivastava won the Silver award for social bravery for his spontaneous gesture in rushing the injured in Mecca Masjid blast incident to hospital.

He was among the first to rush to the site as he lived close by and physically lifted over 30 injured persons and shifted them to the waiting ambulances.

But even as Yogesh, a devout of ‘Durga Mata’ who wears a ‘tilak’ on his forehead, was involved in helping the injured, a group singled him out because of his vermilion and beat him up and he too had to be rushed to the hospital by the police.

Even from hospital bed, Yogesh, organised 24 bottles of blood to the injured. Was he not scared to rush to a communally sensitive area? “I believe in brotherhood irrespective of religion,” says Yogesh who had donated blood 85 times so far and pledged his organs to Mohan Foundation.

Bipin Ganotra of Kolkata, who won Gold Award, is known for rescuing people from major fire mishaps. A bachelor and son of a businessman, Bipin was never interested in making money and earned scorn of his family for the same.

Yet undeterred, working as an electrician, he continues his social service. Impressed by his zeal, the Fire Services Department offered him a job which he declined.

Destitute care

Shyamsundar Jal, is a semi literate, Dalit and a petty tailor from Orissa but takes care of destitute children from his meagre earnings. In the last 30 years, he had raised 42 children with his wife’s support. “Some of my children have grown up and are employed now.” Rajesh Gopalrao Khatavarkar, a civil engineer from Karnataka, won the award for his daring act that helped nab a dacoit gang that looted a bank in broad day light in Belgaum.

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