E-Paper
Who is Shravan Singh? 10-year-old given Bal Puraskar for serving soldiers during Op Sindoor
Marking his quiet contribution, Shravan regularly delivered water, milk and lassi to soldiers deployed near his village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district.
The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on Friday conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on 10-year-old Shravan Singh for his service to Indian soldiers during Operation Sindoor, carried out amid heightened tensions with Pakistan.
Marking his quiet contribution, Shravan regularly delivered water, milk and lassi to soldiers deployed near his village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district during the military operation, despite the risks associated with the situation.
Reacting to the honour, Shravan said his decision to help the soldiers was voluntary.
“When Operation Sindoor began against Pakistan, soldiers came to our village. I thought I should serve them. I used to take milk, tea, buttermilk, and ice for them daily... I feel great to be awarded. I had never dreamt of it,” ANI news agency quoted him as saying.
According to officials, Shravan took the initiative to deliver refreshments and ration to the soldiers without any prompting from his family.
Who is Shravan Singh?
Shravan Singh is a Class 4 student from Tara Wali village in the Mamdot area of Ferozepur district. His village is located around 2 km from the international border.
Shravan’s contribution had earlier been recognised by the Indian Army. In May, Major General Ranjit Singh Manral, the General Officer Commanding of the 7th Infantry Division, honoured him for his service to the troops stationed in the area.
The 10-year-old has also expressed his ambition to join the armed forces in the future. “I want to become a 'fauji' when I grow up. I want to serve the country,” the boy said.
His father said the family was proud of his actions. “We are proud of him. Even the soldiers loved him.”
India and Pakistan border tensions
Operation Sindoor followed Indian military strikes carried out on May 7, when the Indian Air Force conducted night raids targeting terror headquarters of banned outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen across nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Among some of the major sites hit were Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, Sarjal in Tehra Kalan, Markaz Abbas in Kotli and the Syedna Bilal camp in Muzaffarabad, all linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Of the nine targets, four were located inside Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Following the strikes, Pakistan launched attacks on Indian military bases and shelled border areas continuously for three days before arriving at a ceasefire understanding.
Indian officials said the strikes were carried out in retaliation for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
