Family of Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for bravery awardee honoured

Coimbatore honors Vyoma Priya’s family for her posthumous bravery award after her heroic act to save a child.

District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar honoured the family of Vyoma Priya, an eight-year-old girl from the city, who was posthumously conferred with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for bravery last year.

Vyoma Priya’s mother Archana Sivaramakrishnan, father T. Balachander and elder sister Vasudha Priya showed the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar medal and the citation to the Collector. They carried a portrait of Vyoma Priya. Ms. Archana had received the award from the President of India Draupadi Murmu on December 26.

Vyoma Priya lost her life while trying to save a child, Jiyans Reddy aged six, during an electrical accident in the children’s park of their gated community in Coimbatore on May 23, 2024. A damaged underground power cable had electrified the metal steps of a slide in the park, causing electric shock to Jiyans Reddy. Vyoma Priya, who was talking with a friend in the park, also suffered shock from the steps when she rushed in to save the boy.

“The unrepaired cable and wet ground intensified the current, making her final act of saving Jiyans a heartbreaking example of courage and selflessness,” stated her profile in the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardees’ official list.

The crowd at the Republic Day celebrations at VOC Grounds lauded her bravery with loud applause as the master of ceremonies read out the selflessness act of Vyoma Priya.