The Universal Children’s Day was celebrated in the city on Friday. Governor H R Bhardwaj, who inaugurated the programme, felicitated children who bagged awards for their good work in various fields.
“Independence of a country is to be defined by children. The revolutionaries of the country went to the gallows to get us freedom and the children of today should respect the heroes. The future of the nation depends on them,” he said.
Like every year, the state government conferred awards to institutions and individuals who have rendered commendable services in the field of child welfare.
Bangalore-based childrens’ special care centre, Hindu Seva Prathisthana and Spandana Mahila Seva Samsthe from Koppal were recognised as the best institutions and were awarded `1 lakh and a citation each.
K Budeppa, Director of Reach’s Rural Education and Child Health Society from Bijapur, and Manjappa B, a worker at Davangere’s Don Bosco Eradication of Child Labour Mission, received `25,000 each and were recognised as best contributors individually.
The Hoysala and Keladi Chennamma Bravery Awards went to five children from across the state who have exhibited courage and presence of mind to save the life of others in dangerous circumstances.
Ten-year-old Akshay from Bijapur received the honour for swimming in the main canal of Almatti to save the life of his friend who fell into it.
Fourteen-year-old Master Suhail from Kodagu received the award for saving his friends’ life.
Deepak Tavane, 14, from Chitradurga and ten-year-old Nayana Y C from Shimoga too won the awards for similar acts of bravery.
Fourteen-year-old S S Manoj from Mysore won the same award for saving the life of a disabled washerwoman who fell into the Cauvery River in Srirangapatna.
Seventeen children were honoured with the exceptional achievement National award for exhibiting exceptional talent in the field of academics, arts, sports and culture.
The government also honoured 31 children from government children’s home for boys and girls who scored more than 60 per cent in SSLC and PUC during the year 2011-12.
The Best Anganawadi Worker Award under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) was given to 11 individuals from across the state.
The award carries a purse of `5,000 each.
Kalakappa Bandi, Minister for Women and Child Development, Seema Ashok Masuthi, Chairperson, Women and Child Welfare Committee, Sulochana Bhat, Chairperson, Bal Bhavan Society and Hilda Abraham, Chief Post Master General, Karnataka Circle, were among those present on the occasion.