Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar: Child Marriage Crusader, AI Innovator, Dancer Among Winners

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 19 children, including one posthumously for their exceptional achievements.

19 children -- nine boys and 10 girls -- from 18 states and Union Territories were recognised with National Award for exceptional bravery, artistic prowess, innovative thinking, and selfless service.

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This year, the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar-2024 in six categories -- art and culture (7), bravery (1), innovation (1), science and technology (1), social service (4), and sports (5).

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar winners

Among the winners, 12-year-old Aaditya Vijay Brahmane from Maharashtra was awarded posthumously for his extraordinary act of courage. He sacrificed his life to rescue his cousins Harsh and Shlok from drowning in a river while playing.

Aryan Singh, AI scientist

17-year-old Aryan Singh, a young AI scientist from Rajasthan was recognised for his work in developing an Agrobot, an artificial intelligence-powered robot aimed at simplifying the lives of farmers by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT).

Armaan Ubhrani aka Google boy

Armaan Ubhrani from Chhattisgarh, also known as the 'Google boy', was awarded for his outstanding prowess in mathematics and science. Ubhrani has achieved numerous milestones, including becoming the youngest author of a book series and solving 100 multiplication sums, garnering recognition both nationally and internationally.

16-year-old Suhani Chauhan from Delhi was honoured with the award for developing 'SO-APT', a solar-powered agriculture vehicle, offering an impressive solution for sustainable farming.

Nine-year-old Avnish Tiwari from Madhya Pradesh, who has Down syndrome trekked Mount Everest base camp at the age of seven and received the Shresth Divyang Bal Puraskar in 2022 for his exceptional social service.

Nine-year-old Garima from Haryana, a visually impaired girl, is dedicated to providing education to underprivileged children through her initiative called 'Sakshar Pathshala'.

16-year-old Jyotsna Aktar from Tripura challenges societal norms and actively fights against child marriage, advocating for education and empowering other girls in her community.

15-year-old Saiyam Mazumder from Assam who became India's youngest snake rescuer and also cares for stray animals was awarded for her work in wildlife conservation.

Arijeet Banerjee, 13, from West Bengal, a prodigy in playing the traditional Pakhawaj, has made an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.

Having performed at prestigious events like the International Dhrupad Festival, Banerjee has received accolades such as the Bharat Ratna M S Subbulakshmi Fellowship and the Asia Book of Records.

Despite facing severe cerebral palsy, 13-year-old Hetvi Kantibhai Khimsuriya from Gujarat has displayed extraordinary artistic abilities, creating 250 works of free-hand painting, receiving numerous awards, and selflessly donating her monthly disability pension to support differently-abled children.

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Ishfaq Hamid, 12, from Jammu and Kashmir has become a maestro of Rabab and Matka, receiving accolades during various festivals and being honoured with the Bhai Mardana National Award in 2020.

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Md Hussain, 16, from Bihar, has excelled in handcrafted arts, winning accolades in state and national-level competitions, and even presenting his indigenous toys to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme.

Pendyala Laxmi Priya, 14, from Telangana is a Kuchipudi dancer, winning the Kala Utsav National Award 2023 in the classical dance category and holding titles like 'Laasyapriya'.

12-year-old Aaditya Yadav, a specially-abled badminton player from Uttar Pradesh who won numerous tournaments, including international championships was recognised for his achievements.

Charvi A, 9, from Karnataka, the Under-8 World Chess Champion, stands out among other awardees in the sports and games segment, securing multiple titles at both national and international levels.

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Nine-year-old Jesicca Neyi Saring from Arunachal Pradesh is a highly skilled badminton champion, consistently achieving excellence in various categories.

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Linthoi Chanambam, 17, from Manipur is the first Indian to clinch a judo championship in any age group, securing gold at the 2022 World Judo Cadets championship in Sarajevo.

R Surya Prasad, 9, from Andhra Pradesh, who commenced mountaineering training at the age of five, accomplished the feat of scaling Mount Kilimanjaro at the age of nine.

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