8 yrs later, fisherman felicitated for saving 3 kids from drowning

Eight years after rescuing three children from drowning in the backwaters off the Pulicat coast, a 32-year-old fisherman from the fishing hamlet of the north of Chennai was finally recognised for his act with a Bravery Award by the Tiruvallur District Collector at the Republic Day function held here last week.

On Christmas day in 2011, Elango had taken a rented fishing boat and ventured into the sea adjoining the backwaters braving inclement weather hoping decent catch. Little did he realise that he would return to the shore with three children instead.

“I was steering the boat alone when I heard people screaming for their lives,” Elango told DTNext. He immediately steered the boat towards them and found that a boat ferrying 25 passengers had lopsided and was sinking. “I saw many people floating and immediately jumped in,” he said.

Elango managed to pull three children out of the water alive and returned to the shore with them to alert others of the mishap. But, before help could arrive, all the other 22 passengers belonging to a family from Gummudipoondi who had gone on a joyride on the fishing boat, had died.

The youth, whose presence of mind and bravery saved three lives, received accolades for his act by all those present. He was also promised with recognition and rewards for his act.

For the next eight years, Elango watched many others like him being celebrated for their bravery by the State government during the R-Day function. But he was forgotten and had to plod through life to make ends meet until Tiruvallur collector R Maheshwari decided to dig into dusty, old files at her office recently.

“When I came to know of Elango and his rescue of the children, I decided to verify the facts and found that it was on our records but somehow missed out,” Maheshwari told DTNext.

The Collector immediately decided to reward the youth and Elango was presented with the Bravery Award last Saturday. “We also got to know that his family was not in good financial shape and are making arrangements to provide him government subsidy so that he can purchase a boat of his own,” she added.