Alaika Awasthi, a native of Palampur in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, was on Wednesday conferred with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puruskar 2020 for bravery by President of India, Ramnath Kovind.
Alaika (13) got the award at a function at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi for saving the life of the mother, grandfather and driver in an accident.
Alaika, a resident of Maranda under Palampur sub-division in Kangra district, was travelling in a car with her mother Savita and grandfather, K K Awasthi on 1 September 2018 when they met with an accident.
Their car rolled a 50-feet deep gorge and got stuck in a tree in which she along with her parents suffered injuries.
Despite being injured, Alaika showed courage and tried to pull her mother and grandfather out of the car but couldn’t.
She then climbed up to the road and sought help from passing by vehicles who rescued her parents and the driver and took them to hospital.