Hyderabad sportskids bag National child awards

Hyderabad: Hyderabad shooter Esha Singh and mountaineer Samanyu Pothuraju have won this year’s Bal Shakti Puraskar for outstanding achievements in sports and will receive the awards from President Ramnath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday. They will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi the next day and also participate in the Republic Day Parade on January 26.

Instituted by the ministry of women & child Development the Bal Shakti Puraskar (earlier known as National Child Award) carries a cash prize of `1 lakh, a tablet, medal, certificate and citation. It is given as recognition to children with exceptional abilities and consistent achievement in the fields of innovation, scholastic, sports, arts & culture, social service and bravery.

Fifteen-year-old Esha has won a clutch of medals from the shooting ranges at national as well international levels while nine-year-old Samanyu has scaled two peaks at such a young age. He has lined up five more, and wants to reach greater heights by becoming “an Air Force pilot” when he grows up.

Esha shot down 19 medals during 2018-19 at the National, Asian, Junior World Cup, South Asian Federation Games and Grand Prix events to win the award with a bang. Now, she “just can’t wait to be at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, I’ve only read about the place in text books!” she exclaimed. “Also, to meet the President is such an honour, and I am going to town telling friends that I’m meeting the first citizen of the country.”

Samanyu is relatively restrained. He’s met the head of the state only last month. “After I scaled Mt Kosciuszko — the highest in the Australian continent — President Kovind had invited me and my family on Christmas Eve to the Rashtrapati Nilayam in Bolaram, Hyderabad, while he was here for his winter vacation. But it will be nice to meet him again,” he smiles. Boy!