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New Delhi: A celebrity at the age of 14 and a non-entity 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 award was conferred on him in 1958 by then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, whose life he had saved. Ever since, 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 scars on his hands have healed, but the memories are etched in Mehra's heart. And so is the pain of having been forgotten once the brief dalliance with celebrity status died.
Tent on fire
Mehra recalls the incident, "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 over-crowded place had people running helter-skelter to save their lives. Mehra, then a boy scout, was standing at the entrance of the pavilion. He entered the burning tent and ran towards Nehru and immediately pulled him towards the dais. The next moment he climbed on to one of the poles, whipped out the scouts' knife and cut off the burning tent.
In the melee, Mehra's hands got severely burnt and he lost consciousness.
The next day, during the Dussehra celebrations, Jagjivan Ram, then Federal Minister for Railways, presented Mehra a certificate.
More was to come Mehra's way. Three months later, while studying in Class 8 in L N Girdhari Lal Senior Secondary School, Fatehpuri, his Principal, Tej Bhan Sethi entered the classroom and took the bewildered child to the battery of media persons and photographers waiting for him on the school grounds.
"I was told that I had been nominated for a special National Gallantry Award which was being instituted by the Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi, who was then Vice President of the Indian Council for Child Welfare was also present."
The following year, on February 4, 1958, 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," Mehra recalled.
"My father, Rajinder Nath Mehra and mother Laxmi Devi, belonging to a very humble background, were absolutely delighted. Never in their dreams had they thought of being bestowed with such praiseworthy words when Nehru said to them, 'Your son has saved my life and he will certainly become a great man some day'", Mehra remembers.
There was no stopping the celebrations. Newspapers published Mehra's profiles and interviews. A documentary film was made.
This was followed by an invitation to participate in the Republic Day parade held on January 26, 1959. It was the first time that a civilian boy was made to lead the parade.
Clerk job
Five years later, due to financial constraints, Mehra had to quit studies. He took up a job as Lower Divisions Clerk in Union Public Service Commission, Dholpur House.
Three years later, he was transferred to the Controller of Publications.
No incentive. No promotion. He retired from there on February 27, 2004.
Except for people close to him, no one since remembered Mehra.
Every year, Mehra sits with his three sons and four grandchildren to watch the Republic Day parade on TV. As the award winning children pass through Rajpath, memories come afresh.
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