
President Droupadi Murmu is set to present the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar-2024 (PMRBP) to 19 outstanding children during a ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan on January 22, as per a Ministry of Women and Child Development press release on Friday. The statement also reveals that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will engage with the PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardees on January 23.
Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani, and Minister of State Munjpara Mahendrabhai will join in congratulating the children for their remarkable achievements in categories such as Art and Culture, Bravery, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, and Sports.
The PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar-2024 will be bestowed upon 19 children selected nationwide, encompassing 9 boys and 10 girls from 18 states and UTs, including two aspirational districts, according to the release.
These awards, designed for children aged 5-18 years, span seven categories—Art & Culture, Bravery, Environment, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service, and Sports. Each PMRBP awardee receives a medal and a certificate.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development took extra steps this year to boost nominations, extending the nomination period and urging widespread publicity. Artificial Intelligence was employed for data crawling, and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights recommended deserving candidates.
A thorough verification process, involving District Magistrates and domain experts, culminated in a screening committee review. The shortlisted profiles underwent further examination by National Level Independent Experts from diverse domains, leading to the final selection by the National Selection Committee.