Republic Day 2018: Who are the 18 children honoured with the National Bravery Awards?

Every year, the Government of India and the Indian Council for Child Welfare give out the National Bravery Awards to about 20 Indian children for "meritorious acts of bravery against all odds." And this year, 18 children received the award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of Republic Day.

The 18 children included 11 boys and seven girls, who also participated in the Republic Day parade on January 26.

Who are these bravehearts and what are they receiving the awards for?

Karanbeer Singh

The 17-year-old who is a Class 12 student from Amritsar saved about 15 students when their school bus met with an accident. The bus was said to be sinking in a drain and he pulled out several students just in time to save their lives.

Samridhi Sushil Sharma

The 17-year-old from Gujarat girl was alone at home when a masked robber attacked her and held a knife to her neck. She sustained severe injuries but still fought back forcing the robber to flee.

Zonuntluanga

Zonuntluanga from Mizoram saved his father from a bear. His father had gone to the forest, where he was attacked by the bear. But Zonuntluanga managed to fight the bear away, thus saving his father's life.

Netravati M Chavan (Posthumous)

The 14-year-old from Karnataka's Bagalkot district died while trying to save two young boys from drowning. The award was received by her father Mahantesh Chavan.

F Lalchhandama (Posthumous)

The 18-year-old died when he was trying to save his friends from drowning in the Tlawng river. His friends accidentally slipped into the river and Lalchhandama jumped in to save them. However, neither of them survived and his body was found wrapped around his friend's body.

Betshwajohn Lyngdoh Peinlang

The 14-year-old from West Khasi Hills saved his three-year-old brother when a fire broke out in their kitchen. As the flames were fast engulfing the thatched roof, the boy jumped into the flames to save the toddler.

Laxmi Yadav

The 16-year-old was kidnapped by three men, who then tried to sexually assault her. However, she managed to flee to a nearby police station and informed the police about the men.

Mamata Dalai

Mamata, 6, from Odisha saved Asanti Dalai, 7, when the latter was attacked by a five-foot crocodile in a pond.

Sebastian Vincent

Sebastian Vincent from Alleppey, Kerala, saved his friend Abhijith, who fell on the railway track. Abhijith was stuck on the track and when Vincent saw a train approaching, he put his life at risk and saved his friend.

Pankaj Semwal

The 16-year-old from Tehri Garhwal in Uttarakhand saved his mother from a leopard.

Nazia

The 16-year-old from Agra helped the police bust an illegal gambling and betting racket.

Mansha N

The 13-year-old from Nagaland saved her siblings, three and six, from being killed by her father.

Chingai Wangsa

The 17-year-old saved a 74-year-old man and livestocks from a burning house in his village in Nagaland.

Nadaf Ejaj Abdul Rauf

The 16-year-old from Maharashtra was crossing a water reservoir on a river, when he saw two girls drowning. He quickly jumped in saved their lives

Loukrakpam Rajeshwori Chanu (Posthumous)

The 13-year-old from Manipur rescued a girl and her mother from drowning in the Imphal river. However, the little one was carried away by the current and died.

Pankaj Kumar Mahanta

The 13-year-old from Odisha saved three women from drowning in the Baitarani river.

N Shangpon Konyak and Yoaknei, both 18, are from Nagaland