Award for Attari boy who saved 15 lives

AMRITSAR: Karanbir Singh (17) of Galuwal village in Amritsar’s Attari block rescued 15 schoolchildren after their bus plunged into a drain in Mahawa village near the India-Pakistan border on September 20, 2016. He is among the 18 children chosen for the National Bravery Awards this year.

Karanbir Singh from Punjab with his parents during a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday.

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 18

Karanbir Singh (17) of Galuwal village in Amritsar’s Attari block rescued 15 schoolchildren after their bus plunged into a drain in Mahawa village near the India-Pakistan border on September 20, 2016. He is among the 18 children chosen for the National Bravery Awards this year.

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Though injured, with a deep cut on the head and the eyebrow, Karanbir showed extraordinary courage in helping other children come out of the water-filled bus. He has been picked for the Sanjay Chopra Award. Then a Class XI student, he broke open a door of the bus and saved 15 children from drowning, among them his younger sister.

The accident occurred as the speeding bus hit a bridge wall. Talking to The Tribune, Karanbir said: “I regret that I failed to save all children. Seven of them died. And, the bridge is still without safety grills.”

An elated Gurnam Singh, former sarpanch of Muhawa village, said they were happy that the authorities had recognised Karanbir’s act of valour.

Given by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), the awards are divided into five categories — Bharat Award, Geeta Chopra Award, Sanjay Chopra Award, Bapu Gaidhani Award and General National Bravery Awards.

President Ramnath Kovind will host a reception for the awardees — seven girls and 11 boys — who will also participate in the Republic Day parade in Delhi on January 26.

Eighteen-year-old Nazia from Uttar Pradesh will be given the most coveted Bharat Award. Netravati M Chavan (14) from Karnataka lost her life while trying to save two boys from drowning, She will be posthumously given the Geeta Chopra award. F Lalchhandama (17) from Mizoram and Loukrakpam Rajeshwori Chanu (15) from Manipur will be awarded posthumously too.

Betshwajohn Peinlang (14) of Meghalaya, Mamata Dalai (7) of Odiha and Sebastian Vincent (13) of Kerala will be given the Bapu Gaidhani award. While Peinlang rescued his three-year-old brother from their burning house, Dalai saved her friend from the jaws of a crocodile.

The awards carry a medal, a certificate and a cash prize. (With PTI inputs)