Tamil Nadu's own Janane Narayanan among 17 PM Bal Puraskar winners
The children were awarded the honour recognising their exceptional courage and outstanding achievements across diverse fields, including art, culture, sports and innovation.
Janane Narayanan, a 14-year-old Harikatha artiste and Carnatic music student from Chengalpattu
NEW DELHI: Janane Narayanan, a 14-year-old Harikatha artiste and Carnatic music student from Chengalpattu, was among the 17 children who received the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar from President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday.
The children were awarded the honour recognising their exceptional courage and outstanding achievements across diverse fields, including art, culture, sports and innovation.
The citation said Janane, a student of renowned Carnatic vocalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Sudha Ragunathan, has delivered more than 100 Tamil, English, and Sanskrit performances, showcasing her storytelling and musical talents. She has won several honours, including the 2023-24 Kalaimamani Award instituted by the Tamil Nadu government.
Janane was awarded for her excellence in the field of art and culture.
Underlining the importance of nurturing and celebrating young talents, President Murmu said, "Providing opportunities and recognising children's talents has always been a part of our tradition. This tradition should be further strengthened to ensure that every child realizes their full potential."
The award celebrates extraordinary accomplishments in seven categories: art and culture, bravery, innovation, science and technology, social service, sports and environment.
The honourees - seven boys and ten girls selected from 14 states and Union territories - were presented with a medal, certificate and citation booklet.
Among the other awardees were Ayaan Sajad, a 12-year-old Sufi singer from Kashmir, honoured for his soulful contributions to Kashmiri music; Vyas Om Jignesh (17), who has cerebral palsy, for his dedication to Sanskrit literature; Saurav Kumar (9) for saving three girls from drowning; Ioanna Thapa (17), for rescuing 36 residents from a fire; Sindhoora Raja (15) for creating self-stabilising devices for Parkinson's patients; cybersecurity entrepreneur Risheek Kumar (17) for launching Kashmir's first cybersecurity firm; Hembati Nag, a judo player from a Naxal-affected area who won a silver medal at the Khelo India National Games; and Chess prodigy Anish Sarkar, the youngest FIDE-ranked player at just three years old.