SRIKAKULAM: A Beaming Gurugu Himapriya received the Pradhan Manthri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for the exemplary courage she had displayed to save her mother and two younger siblings from a terrorist attack in 2018.
The award, constituted by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, was presented to the 12 year old virtually. She received the award -- a certificate of appreciation and a purse of Rs 1 lakh -- at the district collector’s office here.
Himapriya was eight-years-old when Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists struck at an Army residential quarters at Sunjuwan in Jammu early on February 10, 2018. Her mother Padmavathi hid herself in the bedroom of their living quarter along with Himapriya and two younger daughters, then aged 7 and 5. She managed to prevent a terrorist from entering the bedroom for three hours before falling unconscious after being injured in a grenade explosion.
Though injured, Himapriya managed to hold the terrorist engaged in a lengthy conversation and keep her mother and siblings out of harm’s way. She successfully pleaded with the terrorist to take her mother to a hospital, and once reaching a safe distance, alerted the Army. The incident happened when her father Havildar Gurugu Satyanarayana was away on duty at Udampur.
Himapriya’s timely and brave act not only helped in preventing casualty escalation, it also helped the Army in nabbing the separatists.
“My father is my inspiration. I feel proud to be born into a defence service family,” Himapriya said after receiving the award. Her family hailed from Ponnam village in Srikakulam rural mandal.
Collector Shrikesh B Latkhar said Himapriya has made Srikakulam proud by her act of courage. “We feel that it’s an honour for the district to get Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar -2022,” he said while felicitating the girl. Latkhar added that Himapriya was one among 29 children selected for the Puraskar from 623 nominations.
Besides the Collector, Joint Collector Srinivasulu, Project Officer of the Integrated Child Development Scheme Jayadeve, and Himapriya’s family members attended the presentation ceremony.
Meanwhile, 13-year-old Lagudu Ameya from Visakhapatnam was also presented with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in the Arts and Culture category for the year 2021. District Collector A Mallikarjuna presented her a citation, cash award and certificate on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the virtual interaction from New Delhi, the Prime Minister lauded the talent and efforts of Ameya. She excels in classical dance. A student of Sri Satya Sai Vidya Viharika, she is pursuing 9th standard at present.
