Shillong, Nov 5: Everbloom K Nongrum, a 12-year-old boy from Meghalaya’s Mawryngkneng village, East Khasi Hills district won the Jeevan Raksha Padak Award, 2019.
Nongrum won the reward for saving the lives of two of his schoolmates from drowning.
Awarded by the President Ram Nath Kovind, the prize was handed over to the brave heart by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo on Thursday.
It may be mentioned that on July 17, 2019 at Mawryngkneng Community and Rural Development Block, East Khasi Hills a 9 year old boy, Davin Sohtun, student of class III at Radiant Adventist Secondary, who was playing at a construction site near a three meter deep hole which was left uncovered for nearly six months without fencing and was full of water because of rain, fell into it and screamed for help.
Everbloom, then aged 10 years and studying in Class VI in Mawryngkneng Higher Secondary School ran and jumped into the hole to save the life of the boy by pulling his hair and saved him from drowning.
The same boy (Everbloom) again on July 23, 2019 in the same site rescued another 8 year old boy, Wanphai Rani, studying in class III at Radiant Adventist Secondary School Mawryngkneng.
The boy was playing with his friends and slipped and fell into the same hole.
Everbloom who was there with him jumped into the hole and brought him out to save the boy’s life.
East Khasi Hills, Deputy Commissioner thanked Everbloom for his incredible acts of bravery at such a young age and expressed her optimism that he would continue to be a “beacon of hope and promise to others around himâ€.
Soon after the incident, the holes, posing risk to the residents was covered up by the concerned authority, the District Magistrate said.
The Jeevan Raksha Award is given by the President of India through the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for persons exhibiting meritorious acts of humane nature in saving the lives in cases like drowning in water, accidents, fire incidents, electrocution, natural calamities, rescue operation in mines etc.
The award comprised a medallion, a small replica of the main medal, a certificate signed by the Union Home Minister and a cheque of Rs.1,00,000, which were handed over to the brave young boy who had displayed remarkable courage and presence of mind in saving the lives of not one, but two of his friends.
