The boy from Raichur in Karnataka seen guiding an ambulance across a waterlogged road in a widely shared video, has been felicitated by the district administration during Independence Day celebrations. He has also been recommended for a bravery award for his act.
The boy in the video was 12-year-old Venkatesh, a Class VI student in Government Primary School at Hirerayanakumpe village of Raichur district. The New Indian Express had reported this after tracing the boy to a rehabilitation centre at Shavantgera in Raichur.
Taking note of the boy's heroics, IAS officer P Manivannan, Secretary, Labour Department, has now recommended the Women and Child Development Department to give him a bravery award for his act. "I am of the opinion that the above young student is entitled to be encouraged and honored for his act of bravery and wish to recommend for considering and including his name in the list of bravery awards in this year. I hope my recommendation will be weighed favorably", reads the letter by P Manivannan.
Venkatesh was playing with a group of friends when Manju, a driver with Prasanna Ambulance Services asked the group of boys to guide him across a waterlogged road. Venkatesh volunteered and a video of him wading through the water in front of the ambulance was shared widely last week. It was shown in the news and also shared on social media, where users called for the boy to be given a bravery award.
Meanwhile, the rainfall has reduced in the upper Krishna river basin in a relief to rescue groups working in northern Karnataka. More than 5,000 people were evacuated in Raichur district and one column of the army and two National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are currently carrying out evacuations.