BHUBANESWAR: The state government today announced a cash prize of rupees one lakh each for the National Bravery Award winners from the state. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik made the announcement while felicitating Mamata Dalai and Pankaj Mohanta, the two winners of the Bravery Award this year.
Both of them were given Rs 1 lakh cash prize. The two children from Odisha had received the Bravery Award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 24. While felicitating them at the state secretariat here, the chief minister said the prize will also be given to those receiving the bravery award in the future.
Mamata, a six-year-old girl and a native of Bankuala village under Dangamal Gram Panchyat in Kendrapara district, was chosen for the award for saving her sister from a giant crocodile on April 6, 2017.
Similarly, 13-year-old Pankaj from Keonjhar district had saved three women from drowning in the Baitarani river. The chief minister also met members of The Kung Fu Nuns from the Himalayas led by Gyalwang Drupka. Travelling on cycles, the nuns will visit different Buddhist tourist places in Odisha.
The chief minister said their visit to Odisha will help in creating awareness about Buddhist heritage places among the people and boost Buddhist tourism. Minister of state for tourism and culture and BJD MLA Debasis Samantray were present. Naveen also felicitated the members of Odisha women's cricket team who recently defeated Kerala to become the plate group champions in the Senior Women's T20 League.
