Two Odia kids to receive bravery award for saving lives

Bhubaneswar: Ashanti Dalei of Kendrapara and Pankaj Mahanta of Keonjhar will be conferred with national bravery award at a special function in New Delhi on January 24.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will award four-year-old Ashanti and 14-year-old Pankaj for their bravery to save lives of four persons in separate incidents. . While Ashanti rescued her elder sister from a crocodile attack, Pankaj rescued three women from being swept away in a river.

Ashanti rescued her elder sister from a crocodile near a pond in Dangamala village under Rajnagar block in Kendrapara district.

"While my elder sister was attacked by a crocodile near the pond, I dragged her and screamed for help. On hearing our cries, family members came to the spot and rescued us," said Ashanti.

Similarly, Pankaj had rescued three women one by one while they were being swept away by strong currents in a river.

While Ashanti aims to become a doctor, Pankaj wants to be a police officer in future.