The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar is India's premier national honor for exceptional children aged 5 to 18, conferred annually by the President of India on Veer Bal Diwas (26th December). The award recognizes outstanding achievements across six categories: Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology. Since its inception in 2019, 203 children have received this award comprising a medal, certificate, and citation.
Eligibility requires Indian citizenship, residence in India, age between 5-18 years as of July 31, 2026, and achievements occurring within two years of the nomination deadline. The award is not conferred posthumously except in exceptional cases, and children cannot be previous recipients. Nominations can be submitted by individuals, institutions, or through self-nomination at https://awards.gov.in, with recommendations also accepted from central ministers, chief ministers, governors, MPs, government departments, district magistrates, and educational institutions.
The selection committee is chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Development and includes domain experts from the award categories. The Ministry covers round-trip economy travel, local transport, boarding and lodging for awardees and up to two parents or guardians, with business class tickets provided for divyang awardees to minimize physical strain. Awards must be received in person, though parents or guardians may accept on behalf of those unable to attend or in posthumous cases.
The award ceremony on Veer Bal Diwas commemorates the martyrdom of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh, aged 9 and 7 respectively, who were martyred on December 26, 1704, for refusing to abandon their faith. Recent notable recipients include Arnav Anupriya Maharshi (2025) who developed an AI-based rehabilitation tool for hand paralysis, Karina Thapa (2024) who saved 36 lives by removing a gas cylinder from a fire, and Aaditya Vijay Bramhane (2024) who was honored posthumously for saving his drowning cousins.