In recognition of creating and sustaining positive change, 21-year-old Neeraj Murmu, a former child labourer from Duliakarambal Mitra Village in Giridih district of Jharkhand, run by the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation, has been awarded the UK’s prestigious Diana Award for educating poor and marginalized children. Neeraj isone among 25 who were honoured with this prestigious award. He received this award for fighting against child labour and sending many children to schools. His certificate mentions that he has done an important job of motivating and mobilizing the new generation in the direction of changing the world.
Neeraj was rescued by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) from a mica mine in 2010. His parents could not afford to send him to school and he had no choice but to work in hazardous conditions to meet ends for his family. After his rescue, Neeraj attended school in his village. Freed from slavery, Neeraj joined the Satyarthi movement to create awareness against child labour. He went on to establish a local school to ensure that all children were able to access the right to education. Neeraj has enabled 200 underprivileged children in his village to get education and has rescued 20 child labourers from mica mines and enrolled them in his school.
The 2020 Diana Award is instituted in the memory of the late Princess of Wales. The award is conferred by a charity and has the support of the late princess’ two sons, the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex. Every year this award is given to children from nine years to 25-year-old who have worked on the issue related to social concern. Since 1999, the UK Government has started awarding the Diana Award.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren has congratulated Neeraj Murmu on being honored with the Diana Award by the British Government for educating poor children. The CM in a statement mentioned that Neeraj’s achievement is a moment of pride for the entire Jharkhand and the journey of this teacher who brought social change with children is inspiring. The CM also thanked Kailash Satyarthi of Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation for giving his guidance to Neeraj.
