Manoj Chouhan, who saved the lives of 35 people during floods in this city last year, will be posthumously conferred the National Bravery Award. The 17-year-old showed exemplary courage in saving lives on August 1, 2005 without caring for his own safety, said a letter sent to his father Umra Singh Chouhan by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), which selects winners of the annual award.

After saving the lives of so many people, Manoj, a resident of Maruti Nagar, died three days later due to pneumonia and high fever. Manoj had used tin containers, rubber tubes and bamboos to save people, said the letter. Many parts of the city mourned his death by not cooking food in their homes for three days. The Prime Minister will present the bravery awards on the eve of Republic Day next year.