As part of the cultural programs held on our Republic Day, January 26, 1950, national awards are given to children who have shown exemplary courage in real life. These awards are meant to generally encourage young citizens to use their presence of mind for socially useful activities. 
 

What do the awards contain?

The Indian Council of Child Welfare initiated the National Bravery Awards scheme in 1957. The award entails a cash prize, financial assistance for completion of school education, a certificate at the hands of the Prime Minister and not to forget the privilege of riding on an elephant in a procession carried out on Rajpath on the Republic Day. The award is instituted in the name of Geeta and Sanjay Chopra, a brother-sister duo, who had shown remarkable courage while fighting dreadful robbers. The pair died during the assault.
 

Fearless children

• Yumnan Jayadeo Singh, an 11 year-old jumped into a flooded river and saved the life of a 3 year-old child from Nambol river at Manipur. The act of bravery was recognized mainly because Singh saved the life of a stranger!

 
• Jitendra Sharma, a 15 year-old boy saved the jeweled crown of a deity in a Rajasthan temple. He was severely bruised while fighting with robbers who had planned to take the crown away. 

 
• Rupesh Punjani foiled a robbery attempt in his house at Ghatkopar, Mumbai. The robbers had entered the house and were trying to steal his sister's earrings. 

 
• Harsh Shrivastava, a 12-year-old boy and his 15 year-old sister rescued a child from the frontal attack of an uncontrollable bull.

Serve the society in a positive manner

Are the above-mentioned illustrations inspiring? These examples show that bravery, fearlessness and presence of mind help a person to serve his fellow human beings. Not that one has to make unnatural attempts to exercise these qualities, but children should be alert about their surroundings. They have to feel responsible to the society they live in. 

On the eve of the Republic Day, IndiaParenting presents a small test of your civic sense, as a young citizen. Here is a set of questions that make you test your social behavior. Answer these questions and rate your social conduct.

• Do you close a running tap in your school/playground/park/ or any other public place?
  
  
• Do you throw your litter in the dustbin, in and out of your home?
  
  
• Do you switch off the fans while alighting from an empty train?
  
  
• Do you give a helping hand to a blind person while crossing the road?
  
  
• Do you ever spit in a public place?
  
  
• Do you lower the volume of your television set in the late hours of the night?