From raising mental health awareness to working towards preserving dying dance forms, intensifying research in zoology and becoming a playback singer, the 11 ‘Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar’ winners this year have diverse aspirations and goals that they hope to achieve when they grow up. Six boys and five girls from 11 states and Union territories are among the awardees this time. Each awardee was given a medal, a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a certificate.
M Gauravi Reddy, 18, is an accomplished dancer in Kuchipudi dance form.
Speaking to PTI about her future plan, Reddy said she wants to research about different dying dance art forms and look at ways to preserve them by teaching them to the younger generation.
“Many Indian dance forms are being forgotten. I want to revive them and also research on them to look for ways to help them thrive,” the young awardee said.
Reddy won the national award in the ‘arts and culture’ category.
For Anoushka Jolly, focus on mental health is of utmost importance and that is what she wants to make her life’s mission.
“I want to pursue a degree in psychology and aim to work towards making mental health solutions accessible to all,” she said.
She was awarded in the ‘innovation’ category for developing an application named “Anti-Bullying Squad Kavach” which has been providing mental health counselling to students for the past four years. Jolly said she has developed a self-paced educational online programme consisting of 10 short videos dealing with bullying and cyber bullying.
Rishi Shiv Prasanna, 9, has been learning coding since he was five-years-old. With an IQ level of 180, he is the ‘Youngest Certified Android Application Developer’, his mother Rechu said. Prasanna said he is fascinated by the field of zoology and wishes to become a scientist in the field. The young innovator from Bengaluru said he has also written a book on science which he shared with Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani.
Dressed in traditional attire, the awardees interacted with Irani and discussed their dreams and aspirations.
Irani also took the children on a tour of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya which is a museum built as a tribute to all prime ministers of India since Independence, and a narrative record of how each one has contributed to the development of the nation.
Fifteen-year-old Aadithya Suresh, who suffers from a bone disorder, wants to become a playback singer when he grows up and also wants a government job for a stable future.
He won the national award in excellence in the field of art and culture.
This year, the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) was conferred on 11 children selected for their exceptional achievement in the fields of art and culture (4), bravery (1), innovation (2), social service (1), and sports (3).
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