As many as 29 children have been conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP), 2022 for their exceptional achievements in Innovation, social service, scholastic, Sports, Art & Culture and bravery on the occasion of National Girl Child Day and also as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

Among the 29 children who were conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 15 are boys while 14 are girls belonging to 21 states and UTs, the Union Women and Child Development Ministry said in a statement. Of them, seven children were conferred the Puraskar for their exceptional achievements in innovation category, four in social service, one in scholastic, eight in sports, six in Art & Culture and three in bravery.

Owing to the unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, the felicitation of the awardees was held virtually on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave digital certificates to the 61 winners of PMRBP 2021 and 2022 using a Block Chain-driven technology developed by IIT Kanpur under the National Blockchain Project. A cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 was given to the awardees of PMRBP 2022 was transferred online to the respective accounts of winners during the programme by the Prime Minister.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that these awards have become all the more significant in the light of the fact that they have been conferred during the important period when the country is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

PM Modi also greeted the daughters of the country on National Girl Child Day, while remembering the glorious history of the freedom struggle and the contribution of Birbala Kanaklata Barua, Khudiram Bose and Rani Gaidinilu.

“These fighters had made the country's freedom the mission of their lives at a very young age and had dedicated themselves for it” the Prime Minister said.

In areas where daughters were not even allowed earlier, daughters are doing wonders in them today. This is the new India, which does not hold back from innovating, courage and determination are the hallmarks of India today, the Prime Minister added.