It was for fun that Ashish had learnt how to swim in the river flowing through his village. Little did he know that this very skill would help him save three children from drowning in a pond in March 2013. The 17-year-old boy from Nangloi is now all set to receive the President’s National Bravery Award on August 15 for this brave act.
“My father, younger brother and I had gone for a walk near a pond in Nangloi. Two of our neighbour’s children had also accompanied us. While they and my brother started playing cricket, I was chatting with my father. After a few minutes, I noticed that the cricket ball had fallen into the pond,” said Ashish.
“I thought they won’t go in to retrieve the ball as the pond was deep. To my surprise, all the three entered the pond. As it was an artificial pond, the cement coating on the edges they were holding on to came off and all three fell into the water and they started shouting for help. Since I am a good swimmer, I managed to get them out safely,” he said.
On how he learnt swimming, Ashish said: “I learnt how to swim when I was a 11-year-old. I used to go to the river with my grandfather and he used to make me sit on the buffaloes to help bathe them. Sometimes I would fall off their backs. That is how I learnt swimming.”
Ashish has already received the 13th Ghanshyam Binani Children’s Bravery Award, which was given to him at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai last month.
The eldest among three siblings and the son of a security guard, Ashish hopes to become an IAS officer.
“I have already started preparing for the Civil Services examinations. My father has lots of hopes for me. I want to make him really proud one day,” said Ashish.
Ashish is a Class XII student of Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Paschim Vihar. He topped his school in Class XI, and is very active in sports and other curricular activities.
His family members are extremely delighted with his achievement. “I am proud of my son. Receiving the President’s award is a very big honour for my son and the entire family. Now I am just waiting for the day when we personally meet President Pranab Mukherjee and see my son receiving the award. He is an intelligent and sensible boy, and I hope that he achieves success in his life,” said Ashish’s father.
