Two teenage heroes honoured

Charithma Jinendri, a 17-year-old student of Siri Piyarathana Vidyalaya in Padukka and a resident of Irida Pola, Waga, Padukka, who saved a man and his wife trapped inside a flooded house was recently recognised at the first National Cadet Corps National Youth Heroes Award ceremony at the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Headquarters in Pamankada, Colombo recently.

State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon attended the event. The gathering was told how the teenager braved raging waters, swam towards the house with a rope and saved their lives at the risk of her own life.

The NCC National Youth Hero Award Ceremony is held to honour Sri Lankan young heroes with the objective of grooming youth to be dynamic, versatile and disciplined citizens with extraordinary leadership qualities to face any challenges in the society.

This year’s awards were presented to Charithma Jinendri and Sasindu Nimsara in recognition of their exceptional bravery and selfless action towards the wellbeing of others.

Speaking at the ceremony, State Minister Tennakoon praised the two award winners for their exemplary acts of heroism and also said that this award presented by the NCC for the first time is quite imoressive abd deserves mention as it is the NCC that trains and inspires schoolchildren through an effective training curriculum which inculcate values and moulds them to become efficient and effective leaders. He made it an opportunity to call upon the youth to join the NCC and empower national development.

Sasindu Nimsara, a Grade 10 student of Kivula Piriwena, Mahakumbukkadawala, Puttlam saved the life of a four-year-old child who was struggling for life after falling into a 36-foot-deep well. Risking his own life, Nimsara jumped into the well and rescued the child.DIG S. M.Y. Seneviratne, senior NCC officers and families of the two award winners were also present on the occasion.