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Young World
Prizes for the brave hearts
SANGEETH KURIAN
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What would you do for friendship? Take a leaf out of their book.
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Photo: S. Gopakumar
Heroes: For now and forever.
Eight-year-old Vishnu C.S. vividly recollects the day when he saved the life of his five-year-old school mate Sreerag. A class III student of Injakkundu Lourdupuram Government Upper Primary School in Nadippara, Thrissur, Vishnu along with his friends had gone on an expedition to a quarry near the school, when Sreerag slipped and fell into a 20-feet artificial reservoi
r at the site.
“I saw Sreerag waving his hands for help. He was about to drown,” recalled Vishnu. Without any second thought, Vishnu, an expert swimmer, dived into the water and paddled his friend to safety dragging him along by his hair.
“I was so scared after the incident that I did not inform my parents for fear that they would rebuke me for my action,” said Vishnu who dreams of becoming a police officer.
Vishnu was one among the five children selected to receive this year’s bravery award from the Minister for Home Kodiyeri Balakrishnan at the State Council for Child Welfare in the city last week.
The others were: Bijin Babu, a Plus One student ; Nithin Joy, a class IX student of Marbasil Higher Secondary School, Kothamangalam in Ernakulam; Tahir A., a class VI student of St. Joseph High School, Kizhakkambalam, Aluva and Anu A., a class VI student of Government Higher Secondary School, Kurissi.
The award carried a purse of Rs.5, 000, a memento and a certificate. The winners were selected for the honour based on their valour, presence of mind and spontaneous selfless service which they displayed while saving other people’s lives. 16-year-old Bijin Babu, a Plus One student at Sankaramangalam School, Kottara, won the award for rescuing two teenagers who were also about to drown in a reservoir near Oyoor in Kollam while on a study camp. Like Vishnu, Bijin too kept his parents in the dark about his life-saving heroics.
“It was only when one of the relatives of the rescued children contacted us to thank that we came to know about the incident,” said Anie Babu, Bijin’s mother. Both Bijin and Vishnu have also been selected for the national bravery award, which they will receive from the President during Republic Day celebrations next year. The fact that all the five rescue attempts were made in water bodies also reiterated the importance to train children in swimming. The view was also shared by Inspector General of Police (Traffic and Armed Police Battalion) B. Sandhya who adjudged the winners from the entries received from across the State.
“Almost all the entries we received were bravery acts related to swimming. This clearly shows the necessity to master this skill,” she said.
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