Prachi Tiwari gets The PCM Group Award for Courage from Group director Niranjan Mittal (right), Group chairman Kamal Mittal and special guest Puja Gupta. Pictures by Passang Yolmo
Young faces of courage stole hearts at the IIHM presents The Telegraph School Awards for Excellence 2023 North Bengal on Tuesday.
Prachi Tiwari, 15, of Class IX, Siliguri Hindi School (Girls), last year stood up against her parents and refused to get married to pursue her studies.
Prachi’s father, a priest who goes around the neighbourhood conducting rituals, wanted to get Prachi married because of his “financial constraints.”
“My father, because of financial constraints, wanted to get me married off and took me to Bihar last year for it,” said Prachi, who did not want to reveal her father’s name.
Then 14, Prachi refused to get married and insisted on returning to Siliguri.
“She contacted her school authorities and told them she wanted their help. She, however, laid down the condition that no action should be taken against her father,” said a source.
The school informed the administration. Then, Prachi’s father changed his mind.
“I tell my friends to stand up against girl marriage,” said Prachi who was among the 13 bravehearts to receive The PCM Group Award for Courage.
Kinjal and Kinnar Sengupta, twins aged 12, saved their father’s life with their presence of mind.
“On October 16, 2022, their father Sanjit Sengupta suffered a cardiac arrest when alone with the two boys. Kinjal showed immense presence of mind and performed CPR,” said a family member.
Kinnar, on the other hand, kept calm and alerted neighbours and his father’s friends about his father’s condition so that he could be taken to the hospital fast.
Maahi Yolmo, 16, of West Point School in Darjeeling, inspired her peers by fighting for mental health, something that affects a lot of teens today.
“She has overcome anxiety and mild depression since Class VI to achieve 90.4 per cent in the 2023 ICSE exams,” said a source.
The others called on stage to receive the bravery awards were Priyanku Kumari of Darjeeling Public School, Rinki Sarkar, of Netaji Girls’ High School, Siliguri and Sangam Subba of Dulal Jote Nepali High School, Siliguri.