Before being decorated with the national bravery award, the 11-year-old girl who battled a leopard to save her four-year-old brother is set to meet the chiefs of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force in early January.
Additionally, the courageous girl, Rakhi, will meet the country’s President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Indian Council for Child Welfare has requested information about the dress size of the girl and her parents, who will accompany her. She is set to be flown to Delhi, where the arrangements for her stay will be made by the child welfare authorities.
The incident occurred in October 2019, when Rakhi was on her way to a farming field in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district. She was accompanied by her mother and younger brother Raghav when a leopard attacked the boy.
Rakhi dauntlessly wrapped her arms around little Raghav as the leopard continued to maul her with its paws and left her bleeding and scratched. The attack made her mother scream for help. When people nearby ran to help them, the leopard became afraid and fled.
The girl had to be hospitalised in critical condition. Her name was later recommended for the bravery award. The girl now aspires to be a part of the Indian army and serve the country.
India awards 25 children annually on the occasion of Republic Day by conferring National Bravery Awards. Aged below 16 years, these kids and teenagers are awarded for “meritorious act of bravery”. This time, Rakhi of Uttarakhand would be one of them.