Overview
- At a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, 20 recipients from 18 states and union territories were recognised across Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology.
- The President linked the event to the legacy of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his sons, framing the recognition as a tribute to sacrifice and a call for high ideals among children.
- Standout honourees included seven-year-old Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika, who won the World Schools Under-7 chess title with a perfect 9/9, and swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu, the youngest Indian athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- Cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi was cited for record-breaking feats, including becoming the youngest male to score a List A century and earlier hitting a T20 hundred in the IPL.
- Bravery citations featured posthumous awards for Vyoma Priya and Kamlesh Kumar, along with life-saving acts by Ajay Raj and Mohammed Sidan P, service by 10-year-old Shravan Singh during Operation Sindoor, and athletic achievements by para-athlete Shivani Hosuru Uppara.