Every year on December 26, India observes Veer Bal Diwas, a solemn day dedicated to remembering the supreme sacrifice and courage of the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji. The day reinforces a powerful national truth: that valour is not bound by age but defined by one's choices.
A Moment of Instinctive Courage in a Coimbatore Park
In 2024, this timeless lesson found a heartbreakingly contemporary echo in the story of nine-year-old Vyoma Priya from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. One evening, children in her residential community were playing in a local park. A six-year-old boy, unaware of the danger, climbed a metal slide. Tragically, a damaged underground electric cable had electrified the structure.
The electric shock was instant. As panic erupted, with adults shouting and children crying, Vyoma saw the boy collapse. Demonstrating incredible presence of mind and selflessness, she ran forward without a second thought to help him. In that single, instinctive moment, she displayed the kind of rare courage that defines heroes.
Her brave attempt to rescue the boy cost Vyoma her life. She passed away the same evening, leaving her community shattered and later, a nation in awe of the extraordinary bravery shown by one so young.
National Recognition for an Extraordinary Act
On December 26, 2025, during the national Veer Bal Diwas programme at New Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan, Vyoma's parents walked onto the stage. In a moving ceremony, they received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on her behalf. This award is one of India's highest civilian honours for children, typically given for exceptional achievements in bravery, social service, sports, science, arts, and more to those between 5 and 18 years of age.
The award is normally not conferred posthumously. However, the committee can make an exception in rare and extraordinary cases. Vyoma's act of bravery was deemed one such exceptional instance. Honouring her was not merely an act of sympathy; it was a profound national acknowledgement of her moral clarity—a child who saw someone in peril and believed the only right response was to act.
A Legacy That Connects Past and Present
The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar ensures that stories like Vyoma's are elevated from quiet neighbourhood memories to become part of the country's collective consciousness. It reminds India that courage can manifest in the most ordinary of settings—a community park amidst the chatter of playing children. It also underscores society's responsibility to create safer environments so that children are never forced to confront such lethal hazards.
Veer Bal Diwas weaves a continuous thread of sacrifice and valour through India's history. From the Sahibzadas of the 18th century who stood firm for their faith, to children like Vyoma in the 21st century who act on a selfless instinct to help others, the core message remains unchanged: true courage is not always loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it is simply the refusal to look away.
In Coimbatore, the park still stands. Parents remember, and children whisper her name. Across India, her story now travels as an indelible part of the national narrative. A nine-year-old girl ran toward danger because someone needed help. That is the legacy India has chosen to honour with its highest award for child bravery.
