A WONDERFUL ACT OF BRAVERY
It was the 26th of July in Mumbai. It was raining cats and dogs. Ten-year-old Sanyogita More stood at the door of her hut. The street was flooded with water. Sanyogita was frightened. Her parents had not returned from work and she was all alone.
Suddenly, she saw two little boys, Rohan and Sohan, come out from the neighbouring hut to play in the water. As Sanyogita watched, there came a sudden gush of water and the boys were dragged towards an open manhole, which had been marked with a pole. They caught hold of the pole, but the pole began to tilt. It would soon fall-and the boys would go down the manhole!
Sanyogita ran as fast as she could towards the boys. Pulling a rope from a nearby door, she looped it around a large stone. She held onto the rope andextended her hand towards the boys. "Catch my hand Sohan, Rohan," she shouted. "Catch! Catch soon!"
The boys were in a panic but they did as they were told. Sohan held Rohan's leg. Rohan held Sanyogita's hand, and Sanyogita held onto the rope. "Help! Help!" she shouted, knowing that if the rope broke or the stone was dislodged, they would all go into the manhole.
She stood there shivering, her arms numb, for nearly 15 minutes before help arrived. Sanyogita collapsed after the incident. The news of her brave deed spread far and wide, and reached the ears of the Prime Minister, who decided to honour her with an award. And so, with tears of joy and pride, the 10- year-old Sanyogita More received the National Bravery Award from the Prime Minister.