IMPHAL, Jan 19 - Two boys from Manipur � Maurice Yengkhom (14), son of Yengkhom Zunu of Yaiskul and Chongtham Kuber Meitei (12), son of Chongtham Tomba Meitei of Tera Noukrakpam, are among the 25 National Bravery Award winners. �The children will receive the award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 24 and later they will participate in the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delhi on January 26,� said Lt Col Ajay Kumar Sharma, PRO, Defense Wing, Ministry of Defence.
Maurice was playing with his cousins on the terrace of their building on March 8 last year, when he realized that one of his cousins, 13-year-old Hijam Rodin has been struck by electric current, probably through naked wire. After being thrown back by the electric current when he tried to save Rodin with his bare hands, Maurice successfully used a cane chair to free him. Maurice, with his face and feet burnt by the electric current, was hospitalized, but he saved Rodin.
On the other hand, Chongtham jumped into a pond to save a girl of his own age from drowning on March 8 last year. �When I saw her making frenetically moves, I realized she was drowning. At that time, my only thought was to save the girl. As I know how to swimming, the fear of drowning did not enter my mind,� said Kuber, who wants to be an Army officer.
