♦ President Droupadi Murmu conferred the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 17 children at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in New Delhi on 26 December 2024.

♦ The children were awarded in seven categories for their exceptional achievements.

♦ The prestigious awards celebrate extraordinary accomplishments in art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, and environmental conservation.

♦ The awardees - seven boys and 10 girls were selected from 14 States and union territories.

♦ Among them was Keya Hatkar (14) author and disability advocate who was recognised for her excellence in art and culture.

♦ Ayaan Sajad (12) Sufi singer from Kashmir, was honoured for his soulful contributions to Kashmiri music and culture.

♦ Vyas Om Jignesh (17) was honoured for his dedication to Sanskrit literature, having memorised over 5,000 shlokas and performed in more than 500 shows across India.

♦ In the bravery category, Saurav Kumar (9) was awarded for saving three girls from drowning, while 17-year-old Ioanna Thapa was honoured for rescuing 36 residents of a flat from a fire, displaying quick thinking and courage.

♦ The award for innovation went to Sindhoora Raja (15) for her technological contributions.

♦ Similarly, cybersecurity entrepreneur Risheek Kumar (17) was lauded for founding Kashmir's first cybersecurity firm and launching the "Hack Free Bharat" initiative.

♦ In sports, Hembati Nag, a judo player was recognized for her silver medal at the Khelo India National Games, while 9-year-old Saanvi Sood's record-breaking mountaineering feats, including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.

♦ Chess prodigy Anish Sarkar (3) made history as the youngest FIDE-ranked player.