A 10-year-old boy received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2021 for excellence in the field of innovation. Veer Kashyap, a student of Navy Children School, Kochi, built a board game during the lockdown induced by COVID-19 pandemic in Bengaluru. With the aim of educating and creating awareness about the coronavirus and the ensuing situation prevailing in the world, Veer created this board game. He named the board game ‘Corona Yuga’ by designing the infamous coronavirus shape on cardboard, using materials available at home.
Veer’s game went viral after he posted a video of the same on YouTube. Corona Yuga, the game dedicated to COVID-19 warriors, is aimed at teaching safety guidelines to survive the pandemic by adopting behavioural changes. The game reflects the quarantine period, the importance of using hand sanitiser, social distancing, wearing masks etc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, lauding Kashyap for his innovation, had tweeted, “An important message, said in a unique style. Veer Kashyap from Bengaluru created a game that seeks to keep people home and spread awareness about COVID-19. Happy that he has been conferred the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2021.”
An important message, said in a unique style. Veer Kashyap from Bengaluru created a game that seeks to keep people home and spread awareness about COVID-19. Happy that he has been conferred the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2021. pic.twitter.com/Kilbh1jAPS
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 25, 2021
Veer is originally from Delhi, but developed the board game around COVID-19 — which is now available online, during his prolonged lockdown vacation at his paternal grandparents’ home in Bengaluru, reported TNIE. The Bal Puraskar recipient aspires to start his own board game company to design and publish his games and encourage children to share their ideas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated 32 young children, marking the occasion of India’s 72nd Republic Day, to show that age is no bar if one has the courage and intent to help others and make a difference in society. Seven awards have been given in the field of Art and Culture, nine awards for Innovation, five for Scholastic Achievements. Seven children won in the Sports category, while three have been felicitated for Bravery and one child has been honoured for her efforts in the field of Social Service.