Biju Patnaik Bravery Award for two Koraput youths

Koraput: Harischandra Hiaal and Mohan Garada, both residents of Harijan Sahi in Narayanpatna block who make their livelihood as daily wage earners might not had anything memorable to cherish until last year when their act of daredevilry to rescue five children from a flash flood in Jhanjabati River brought them praise from all over the State.

In order to recognize the courageous act, the Sports and Youth Services Department has decided to confer this year's Biju Patnaik Bravery Award on both Harischandra and Mohan.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will felicitate them with the bravery award, cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a citation on occasion of National Sports Day on August 29.

On June 30, 2016, five children who had gone to the river to take a bath accidentally got trapped in a flash flood due to heavy downpour in the upstream. The water level which was just knee deep rose to neck level in no time as they had to climb atop a large rock on the middle of the river. Mohan and Harischandra who were passing by put up a courageous attempt to wade through the heavy current with the help of a bamboo pole held by some other locals and rescued all the five kids one by one.

The incident came to limelight after two days when a mobile video which showed the clipping of the courageous act was first telecast on OTV.