India honors the brave and awards the best on the eve of the Republic Day every year. The government of India conferred the National Bravery Awards 2020 on 22 children, from different parts of the country, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Ramnath Kovind felicitated the children for their exemplary courage and heroic feats in the face of adversity. The National Bravery Award 2020 honorees took part in the 71st Republic Day celebrities in New Delhi.
13-year-old Parikul Bhardwaj, the first youngest female social worker to volunteer at high altitudes, is among the awardees. She was invited to a get-together with the Prime Minister post the Republic Day parade on Rajpath.
A student of class XI, Parikul tirelessly provided medical care to the pilgrims of Kedarnath, during her summer vacation spanning 45 days in 2019. What would have been a most arduous task for others at an altitude of 14,000 feet and in the sub-zero temperature, saw the best of her as an empathetic volunteer in service to helpless pilgrims.
More than 50 pilgrims fell ill due to the biting chilling cold in June 2019 when temperature dipped by minus 7 degrees at Kedarnath, a most popular destination for religious tourism in India. Parikul Bhardwaj came to their rescue and saved their lives, irrespective of caste, creed, community and religion, with her unflinching commitment towards catering to their medical needs.
Not only in 2019 but also in 2018 and 2017, she spent her summer vacation providing basic medical care to pilgrims en route to the Kedarnath Temple in the highly precarious hilly terrains. She has been the youngest student volunteer at Kedarnath. Neither high altitudes nor sub-zero temperatures deter her spirit. Indeed, she is one of the best National Bravery Award 2020 recipients.
She has received training in high-altitude rescue missions from the Indian Air Force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and the National Disaster Response Force. The India Book of Records features her as the youngest social worker in the most difficult terrain.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted this morning, “Youngsters like Parikul Bhardwaj are setting an example of leadership and selfless service towards society. As a student volunteer, she played a crucial role in saving the lives of pilgrims during the Kedarnath Yatra. Delighted to meet Parikul and my best wishes to her!
This exclusive news story is part of our continued effort to promote good deeds and achievements of young Indians, at Travel Beats, a leading Indian Diaspora portal for community, visa, passport, immigration, and travel news. Travel Beats is a subsidiary of Indian Eagle Travel, a most trusted international air travel booking organization for cheap flights to and from India.