18-year-old Nazia from Uttar Pradesh, who helped local police capture perpetrators of an illegal business of gambling and betting, will be among the 18 children to receive the National Bravery Awards this year.
The awards, divided into five categories -- Bharat Award, Geeta Chopra Award, Sanjay Chopra Award, Bapu Gaidhani Award, and General National Bravery Awards -- will be given away by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 24.
President Ramnath Kovind will host a reception for the awardees -- seven girls and 11 boys -- who will also be participating in the Republic Day parade on January 26.
Nazia, who continued to fight against the miscreants despite facing threats, and managed to put an end to the decades-long terror and harassment, will be given the most coveted Bharat Award.
14-year-old Netravati M Chavan from Karnataka, who lost her life while trying to save two young boys from drowning, will be posthumously given the Geeta Chopra award.
While Netravati managed to rescue 16-year-old Muthu from a pond, she lost her life in a failed attempt to save 10- year-old Ganesh, who drowned as well.
17-year-old F Lalchhandama from Mizoram and 15-year-old Loukrakpam Rajeshwori Chanu from Manipur will also be awarded posthumously.
The Sanjay Chopra award will be given to 17-year-old Karanbeer Singh from Punjab who rescued 15 children from a school bus that had plunged into a drain.
Singh, who was also in the bus and was injured, showed great courage and helped other children to come out of the water-filled bus.
Betshwajohn Peinlang (14) of Meghalaya, Mamata Dalai (7) of Odiha, Sebastian Vincent (13) of Kerala will be given the Bapu Gaidhani award.
While Peinlang rescued his 3-year-old brother from their burning house, Dalai saved her friend from the jaws of a crocodile.
The other recipients of the bravery awards include Laxmi Yadav (16) from Raipur, Mansha N (13), N Shangpon Konyak (18), Yoaknei (18) from Nagaland, Chingai Wangsa (18) from Nagaland, Samridhi Sushil Sharma (17) from Gujarat, Zonuntluanga (16) from Mizoram, Pankaj Semwal (16) from Uttarakhand, Nadaf Ejaj Abdul Rauf (17) from Maharashtra, and Pankaj Kumar Mahanta (15) from Odisha.
"The selection was made by a high-powered committee comprising representatives of various ministries, departments, NGOs as well as office bearers of ICCW," Gita Siddhartha, president-ICCW, said.
First announced in 1957, the award so far has been given to 680 boys and 283 girls.
The awards carry a medal, a certificate and a cash prize. Eligible awardees will also be granted financial assistance until they complete their schooling, Siddhartha said.
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