The youths received gold medals for their acts of bravery at the eighth Red & White Bravery Awards for Maharashtra declared on Tuesday. "It feels great to receive this award," the duo said. Three families were trapped in a Chinese restaurant on the mezzanine floor of the hotel. "We could hear the cries of women and children and we had no time to think. We just had to help." Both men doused themselves in water and took 18 people to safety, 13 of whom subsequently lost their lives in hospital. Their motto is to take "service upon yourself".

This very motto was emphasised by the recipient of the silver medal Kishore Madhukar Kakre. He was performing the last rites for his late brother on the banks of the Vardha river when he heard cries for help from the river where a boatful of pilgrims who had come for Somvati Amavas had overturned.Though he had been struggling with his own loss and pain, he plunged into the water and rescued all those who he could get his hands on. He left the place without telling anybody who he was, but people found out from the priest who had been performing the rites on his brother and he found himself nominated for the award in a newspaper. "I believe you should do as much good as you can with your two hands", he said.

While Alpesh Dedhiya had a crippled right hand as a mark of his bravery. He had stepped in to defend a woman surrounded by armed robbers demanding her jewellery. Though a crowd had gathered all were too scared to intervene. Dediya challenged them alone and continued to fight in spite of injuries sustained when the robbers attacked him with a chopper. Though the robbers managed to escape, the lady's jewellery was saved.

The gold medal for social acts of courage has been awarded to Indumati Haridas Sawant who was instrumental in changing the lives of young girls in Latur district. In a place wherethe future of girl children is the home, she has educated 21 distressed girls many of whom have gone on to higher studies or become self employed as seamstresses. ``The prize will be deposited and the interests will be used provide uniforms and education to more girl children,'' she announced.

G L Singh, a 79-year-old retired officer, received a silver medal for setting up a school for the children of construction workers on Carter Road in 1997.