President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 17 children for their exceptional achievements.
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
India’s highest civilian honor for children, recognizing outstanding achievements across various domains.
Awarded by:
The President of India, on behalf of the Government of India.
Organizing Ministry:
Ministry of Women and Child Development.
Award Categories:
- Art & Culture
- Bravery
- Innovation
- Science & Technology
- Social Service
- Sports
- Environment
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be an Indian citizen.
- Age: 5–18 years as of July 31 of the relevant year.
- Achievements should be within two years preceding the nomination deadline.
Number of Awards:
Up to 25 awards are given each year, subject to the discretion of the National Selection Committee.
Award Components:
Recipients are honored with a medal, a certificate, and a citation booklet.
Notable Awardees of 2024:
- Keya Hatkar (14 years):
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- Author and disability advocate honored for excellence in art and culture.
- Ayaan Sajad (12 years):
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- Sufi singer from Kashmir recognized for his contributions to Kashmiri music.
- Vyas Om Jignesh (17 years):
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- Celebrated for his dedication to Sanskrit literature, memorizing over 5,000 shlokas, despite cerebral palsy.
- Saurav Kumar (9 years):
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- Awarded in the bravery category for saving three girls from drowning.
- Loanna Thapa (17 years):
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- Honored for rescuing 36 residents from a fire.
- Sindhoora Raja (15 years):
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- Recognized for developing self-stabilizing devices for Parkinson’s patients.
- Risheek Kumar (17 years):
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- Cybersecurity entrepreneur honored for launching Kashmir’s first cybersecurity firm.
- Hembati Nag:
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- A judo player from a Naxal-affected area who overcame challenges to win a silver medal at the Khelo India National Games.
- Anish Sarkar:
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- The youngest FIDE-ranked chess player, recognized for exceptional talent.
