Twenty four children from different parts of the country will receive the National Bravery Awards for 2011 from the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh at a function in New Delhi on the eve of Republic Day this year. Among the awardees eight are girls and sixteen are boys. Five Awards will be given posthumously.

The prestigious Geeta Chopra Award will be conferred on 13 year old Km. Mittal Mahendrabhai Patadiya of Gujarat who faced armed miscreants and foiled a robbery attempt.

Master Kapil Singh Negi of Uttarakhand will get the coveted Bharat Award posthumously. The 15-year-old-boy sacrificed his life while helping his younger schoolmates to cross an over-flooded stream on a day of heavy rain and landslide.

The Sanjay Chopra Award has been given to 12½-year-old Master Om Prakash Yadav of Uttar Pradesh who saved his schoolmates from a burning van.

Late Master Adithya Gopal (14 years) of Arunachal Pradesh, Master Uma Shankar (14 years) of Delhi and Km. Anjali Singh Gautam (15 years) of Chhattisgarh will get the Bapu Gaidhani Awards. Late Master Adithya Gopal lost his life while trying to save his friend from drowning. Master Uma Shankar was instrumental in rescuing victims of a bus accident and helping them get medical aid while Km. Anjali Singh Gautam saved her younger brother in a Naxalite attack.

The other recipients are: Master Yandam Amara Uday Kiran and Master Suthrapu Shiva Prasad (Andhra Pradesh), Master Ranjan Pradhan and Km. Sheetal Sadvi Saluja (Chhattisgarh), Km. Divyaben Mansangbhai Chauhan (Gujarat), Master Sandesh P Hegde and Km. Sindhushree B.A. (Karnataka), Master Mohammed Nishadh V.P., Master Anshif C.K. and Master Sahsad K (Kerala), Master Johnson Tourangbam and Master Kshetrimayum Rakesh Singh ( Manipur), Late Master C. Lalduhawma (Mizoram), Km. Prasannta Shandilya (Odisha), Master Dungar Singh (Rajasthan), Master G. Parameswaran (Tamil Nadu), Late Km. Lovely Verma (Uttar Pradesh) and Late Km. Saudhita Barman (West Bengal).

The National Bravery Award Scheme was initiated by the Indian Council for Child Welfare to give due recognition to the children who distinguish themselves by performing outstanding deeds of bravery and meritorious service and to inspire other children to emulate their example. Children will get a medal, certificate and cash under the scheme and awardees will be granted financial assistance until they complete their schooling. The Government has reserved some seats for the awardees in medical and engineering colleges and polytechnics.