Odisha girls to receive National Bravery Award

Bhubaneswar: Purnima Giri and Sasmita Giri, two sisters hailing from Odisha’s Kendrapara district, will be conferred with Indian Council for Child Welfare’s National Bravery Award-2019.

The duo will receive the awards at a function scheduled to be held in Delhi in January, 2020.

Bravery on the part of Purnima and Sasmita had restricted toll in the tragic boat capsize incident in Mahanadi river confluence in Kendrapara district in January, this year. Hearing screams of the victims for help, the two sisters reached the spot at a time when the boat had capsized completely.

Despite knowing that the portion of the river was crocodile-infested, the two, braving the deep waters and intense cold wave conditions, jumped into the river in a bid to save the lives of the victims.

The two brave girls managed to save around ten persons, including two women and some children, from meeting the watery grave. The ill-fated country boat carrying around 55 persons had capsized in Mahanadi river confluence near Nipania under Mahakalapada block of Kendrapara district. The victims had gone for a picnic and were returning home when the mishap took place.