Heroes: Stories of the 18 real bravehearts of India. - National Bravery Award winners 2018

Going into the 4th year now, we present to you the bravery stories for this year. This year, 18 brave kids have been awarded for their selfless acts and unmatched valour. Sadly, 3 of them have been bestowed with the honour posthumously.

Kumari Nazia ( Bharat Award) - She helped the local police to put an end to the decades-long illegal business of gambling and betting in her area. She courageously collected evidence against the miscreants, who were harassing and terrorising the shopkeepers in Sadar Bhatti area of Agra, and passed them to the police. As a result, four people were arrested and a gang of illegal gamblers was busted. However, new problems began to arise from there.“It had become impossible for me to step out of the house as I was getting life threats. The miscreants even followed me once and beat me and one of my family members,” she said. But, the brave Nazia did not give up her fight and raised the matter with the authorities, she urged the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for help. following which she was provided with protection. 

Late Kumari Netravati M. Chavan (Geeta Chopra Award) - She died while trying to save two young boys from drowning, While she managed to rescue 16-year-old Muthu from a stone quarry pond, she died in a failed attempt to save 10-year-old Ganesh. Netravati went to a quarry in her village to wash clothes. Due to heavy rain, the 30-feet-deep quarry was filled to the brim and her two relatives Muthu and Ganesh were swimming in it. When Netravati noticed the boys drowning, she dived in to save them. Netravati dragged Muthu to safety. She then tried to rescue Ganesh, who panicked and grabbed Netravati's neck and choked her. Both of them died.

Master Karanbeer Singh (Sanjay Chopra Award) - He rescued 15 children from a school bus that had plunged into a drain. He was also in the bus and injured, showed great courage and helped other children to come out of the water-filled bus. “He (driver) was driving rashly. I had warned him about the narrow bridge ahead that doesn’t have railings but he didn’t listen. Suddenly the front tyres were in the air and we landed in the drain,”. He added that doors were jammed and he had to smash a window glass to come out and rescue the students. The van was taking students back home from DAV Public School, Neshta, when the accident took place five km from the school. Karanbeer said, "I couldn't see my fellow students drown. "I jumped in the dirty water of the drain and one by one saved 15 students from drowning because I knew how to swim better than thers. I regret that I failed to save all children. Seven of them died. And, the bridge is still without safety grills. "

Master Betshwajohn Peinlang (Bapu Gaidhani Award) – He displayed rare courage when he saved the life of his three-year-old brother, Arbius Lyngdoh Peinlang. The two brothers were cooking sweet potatoes when a fire broke out around 12.30 in the afternoon. “The children ran out of the house, built of straw, but the three-year-old went back inside. By that time, the entire house was on flames. Betshwajohn did not waste time and plunged into the flames to save his brother,”.

Their mother had gone to a stream nearby to wash clothes. 

He carried the toddler to a nearby cattle shed till the neighbours came for help. Both the children had sustained burn injuries.

Kumari Mamata Dalai (Bapu Gaidhani Award) – An unsuspecting 6 year old Mamata Dalai was taking a bath along with Asanti Dalai in a pond when a 5-feet crocodile suddenly emerged and attacked Asanti. Instead of running away, Mamata fought hard to free Asanti from the clutches of the crocodile. Mamata reached out and held Asanti’s left hand and tried to pull her hand away from the crocodile’s jaws. Mamata fought hard to save Asanti. As a result of her strong defence, physical exertion and loud screams, the crocodile lost its grip on Asanti and slipped into water. Mamata then managed to drag Asanti to safety.” The crocodile had injured Asanti.

Master Sebastian Vincent (Bapu Gaidhani Award) - His friend Abhijith fell off to the railway track last year as he was riding on a bicycle Abhijith was not able to get up even as the train was closing in. Within no time, Sebastian made a daring move and rescued him.

Kumari Laxmi Yadav - The 16-year-old was abducted by three miscreants, who drove her to an isolated place and tried to sexually assault her. However, with her undaunted courage and spirit, Yadav not only managed to escape the assault, but sent those offenders behind the bars. She and her friend were having a conversation, when 3 bike-borne miscreants suddenly appeared in front of them. They attacked them and forcefully dragged her on the bike and drove her to an isolated location where they tried to sexually assault her.“I lost my mind for some time. But then I thought that if I would not help myself, who else will,” she said. She gathered her lost courage and fought back.“I managed to take out the bike’s key and threw it away. It distracted them. I pushed them away and fled from there,” added Yadav. She ran to a nearby police station and informed the cops about the incident. 

Kumari Mansha N , Master N. Shangpon Konyak and Master Yoaknei- Meribeni and Chumben were looked after by Mansha after their mother passed away. Mansha heard the faint struggling cry of Meribeni. She saw Meribeni's father trying to strangulate her to death. She snatched the baby, pushed the father away and took the girl with her. A few minutes later, again she heard a faint cry. She saw the father now trying to strangulate his son Chumben with a waist belt. Mansha pushed him away from the child and called for help. Hearing the commotion, children's maternal uncles staying in the adjacent room rushed to help. As Shangpon & Yoaknei were talking to Mansha to find out what had happened, Vanthungo ran towards the kitchen and brought an axe like weapon to hack his two kids. He attacked his son with it. Although Yoaknei snatched the baby from the jaws of death but the child was grievously injured in his neck. Brave Yoaknei and Shangpon instinctly acted, confronted and fought together to overpower the kids' father. Fortunately the child missed being hacked into two pieces, by few inches. Mansha, Shangpon & Yoaknei foiled the attempt of a cold blooded murder of two children by their father with their dauntless courage.

Master Chingai Wangsa - Most of the villagers were in church when a house caught fire. A 74 year old man was sleeping inside the house. Chingai Wangsa, his neighbor, noticed the flames erupting from the roof next door. He rushed towards the burning house but found the door locked from inside. He called out to the occupant but his voice went unheard as the man was hard of hearing. So he banged open the door, reached the room to find the old man sleeping there. He woke up the old man and brought him out safely and daringly went back again towards the burning house and rescued the live stock confined at the backyard. 

Kumari Samridhi Sushil Sharma- She was alone at her house when a masked man came and tried to enter the house on the pretext of asking for water. 

She refused to oblige him, prompting him to hold a knife at her neck. Undeterred, Samridhi bravely pushed back the knife with her left hand and twisted it. The startled intruder backed off and tried to flee. But in the melee, she sustained a deep cut to the vein in her left hand. She bled profusely and had to undergo two surgeries. “ I didn’t think much. The only thought I had was of saving myself and my house,” says the braveheart. “I had to undergo two surgeries. The ring finger on my left hand is completely damaged and would require another surgery,”

Master Zonuntluanga - He saved his father, who had been attacked by a wild bear. Zonuntluanga and his father had gone to a jungle to collect vegetables and suddenly a wild bear attacked the father and severely wounded his face. On hearing the scream, Zonuntluanga came to his rescue and boldly fought with the wild bear with his unsophisticated weapons, driving the bear away and hence saved his father. He helped his father and escorted him to their village where he was administered medical treatment. 

Late Master F. Lalchhandama – He lost his precious life while saving his friend who was drowning in Tlawng river last year. He along with two friends was venturing into Tlawng river, to swim in the river. After an hour of swimming, his friend C.Lalremkima suddenly slipped and fell into the river when they decided to return to their homes. Soon after this, F.Lalchhandama and his comrade Lalmuansanga plunged into the river to save their friend. Unfortunately the drowned boy caught hold of Lalmuansanga and strangled him by his neck. F.Lalchhandama somehow managed to pull out Lalmuansanga from the clutches of the drowned victim and dragged him to the river shore. He then went back towards C.Lalremkima to rescue him, but unfortunately the two lost their lives.

Master Pankaj Semwal - He saved his mother Bimla Devi from the jaws of death when she was attacked by a prowling leopard. Hearing his mother’s screams, he rushed towards her and saw a leopard attacking her. Pankaj’s siblings were also standing beside her. 

Master Nadaf Ejaj Abdul Rauf - He saved 2 girls from drowning in his village.

Late Kumari Rajeshwori Chanu – She gave her life saving Inunganbi and another lady from drowning in the Imphal river. Ongbi Kebisana was crossing a wooden suspension bridge alongwith her daughter Inunganbi. The wooden bridge built over the 167 feet wide Imphal river was in a dilapidated condition due to lack of repairs. The little girl stumbled & fell into the river through a hole. Her mother instantly jumped into the water to save her child. But as she did not know swimming, she too started to drown. Seeing this, Rajeshwori Chanu too plunged into the 30 feet deep water. With resolute spirit, she caught hold of the child & her mother and pushed them towards the shore. But as she reached near the shore, she was severely exhausted due to her prolonged struggle in the deep water & cried out for help. The screams were heard by some people from the nearby area who picked up both mother and child. However, She was carried away by the turbulent stream and could be traced only after 3 days from the river. 

Master Pankaj Kumar Mahanta - He rescued and saved lives of three women from drowning in Baitarini river last year.

Courage comes in all ages and this post is a salute to that and also a platform to provide all medal winners with equal respect and honour as mainstream media never showcases the stories of all except for a chosen few. Memories salutes all these bravehearts.........