President Confers PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024

President Droupadi Murmu presented the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024 on December 26, 2024, to 17 exceptional children from across India. These awards honor remarkable achievements in seven categories: art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, sports, and environment. During the ceremony, the President lauded the awardees for their exceptional contributions and emphasized the importance of providing opportunities to nurture children’s talents. She highlighted the courage and patriotism demonstrated by these young achievers, which inspire confidence in India’s future.

Highlights of The Award Ceremony 2024

• Number of Awardees: 17 children (7 boys and 10 girls).
• Categories: Art and Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science and Technology, Social Service, Sports, and Environment.
• Award Distribution: Winners hailed from 14 states and union territories.

Notable Awardees and Their Achievements

Art and Culture

• Keya Hatkar (14 years): An author and disability advocate excelling in art and culture.
• Ayaan Sajad (12 years): A Sufi singer from Kashmir contributing to Kashmiri music.
• Vyas Om Jignesh (17 years): A cerebral palsy-affected Sanskrit scholar who memorized over 5,000 slokas.

Bravery

• Saurav Kumar (9 years): Saved three girls from drowning.
• Loanna Thapa (17 years): Rescued 36 residents from a fire.

Innovation

• Sindhoora Raja (15 years): Developed self-stabilizing devices for Parkinson’s patients.
• Risheek Kumar (17 years): Founded Kashmir’s first cybersecurity firm.

Sports

• Hembati Nag: A judo player from a Naxal-affected area who won silver at the Khelo India National Games.
• Anish Sarkar: Youngest FIDE-ranked chess player at the age of three.