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Reminiscences of an old gallantry award winner

He won gallantry award from Pandit Jawarhal Lal Nehru at the age of 14, but now at the age of 64, he lives the life of an unsung hero in the by-lanes of Chandi Chowk, Old Delhi, India

• An icon at the age of 14 and an insignificant person at 64. This is Harish Chander Mehra, the first gallantry award winner who now lives unsung in the bylanes of Katra Neel in Chandni Chowk. 
• The honour was bestowed on him in 1958 by then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, whose life he had saved. Still then, the awards are now given to children annually on Indian Republic Day and they pass through Rajpath, near India Gate, sitting on an elephant.
• The reminiscences are stamped in Mehra's heart and the pain of having been elapsed once the short dalliance with famous person’s status died.

• Recollecting the incident Mehra quoted "On October 2, 1957 evening, during the Ram Lila celebrations in Old Delhi's Ramlila Ground, Nehru along with his daughter, Indira Gandhi and some foreign delegates was watching the fireworks that preceded the function. Suddenly, some sparks fell on the tent in which they were sitting and it caught fire."
• The congested place had people running haphazardly to accumulate their lives. Mehra, then a boy scout, was standing at the entrance hall of the pergola. He entered the flaming tent and ran near Nehru and instantaneously pulled him in the direction of the dais. In a fraction of seconds, he climbed on to one of the poles, pulled out the scouts' knife and cut off the burning tent. In the scuffle, Mehra's hands got rigorously blistered and he gone unconscious.
• Mehra was presented with a certificate on the nexdt morning by Minister Jagjivanram. After three months, while studying in Class 8, his Principal, Tej Bhan Sethi entered the classroom and took the dazed child to the string of media persons and photographers waiting for him on the school grounds.
• In the same year,The following year, a special programme was organised to honour Mehra and he was presented the Gallantry Award by Nehru at Teen Murti Bhawan.

"Nehru had said that I needed no introduction, as he was himself an eyewitness to the whole account. He said it would be better if we could have more children of undoubted courage," says the shuddering Mehra.

• Newspapers published Mehra's profiles and interviews. A documentary film was made followed by an invitation to participate in the Republic Day parade held on January 26, 1959. A civilian boy was made to lead the parade for the first time. Five years later, due to economic crisis, Mehra had to quit studies. He took up a job as Lower Divisions Clerk in Union Public Service Commission.
• After few years he was transferred to the Controller of Publications with no incentive and promotion. He retired from there on February 27, 2004.Apart from the populace in close proximity to him, no one ever since remembered Mehra. Every year, Mehra sits with his three sons and four grandchildren to gaze at the Republic Day parade on TV. The award winning children surpass all the way through Rajpath, memoirs draw closer once again for Mr Mehra.