School teacher, cab driver, loco pilot among bravery award winners

Chennai

First to receive the award was P Mullai, BT Teacher from Pulivalam Government High School in Ranipet district for saving 26 students from an LPG cylinder explosion. While rehearsing for an event last year, Mullai got a strong whiff of LPG and found out about the leakage. She immediately evacuated all the 26 students before the explosion but sustained many injuries.

Dr A Prakash, Forest Veterinary Assistant Surgeon in Dharmapuri Forest Division received the award for tranquilising a wild elephant with sedatives using just his hands as it charged at the public. On November 11, 2020, a sub-adult Makhna elephant accidentally plunged into a 60 ft deep narrow concrete ring. When it was rescued after 18 hours, the elephant started charging at the public. Realising the danger, Prakash ran behind the elephant and gave it anesthetics.

The third to receive the gallantry award was J Suresh, a loco pilot from Madurai district who, while operating the Vaigai Express on November 18, noticed obstruction on the track by boulders and managed to stop the train by applying emergency brake saving the lives of 1500 passengers.

R Pugazhendiran, a cab driver in The Nilgris district received the award for rushing an injured police constable during heavy rains last year after a tree fell on the cop. The Chief Minister also handed over the Kottai Ammer Communal Harmony Award for KA Abdul Jabbar from Coimbatore district, Thiru C Narayanasamy Naidu Award for Highest Productivity in Rice by Department of Agriculture to the farmer who obtained the highest yield in the state, G Selvakumar from Virudhunagar district. The best performing farm producer company was handed over to Erode Precision Farm Producer Company Ltd, Vellangiri Uzhavan Producer Company Ltd, Tamil Nadu Banana Producer Company Ltd and Viruthai Millets Farmers Producer Company Ltd.