Heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Families watched in horror as their loved ones were engulfed by the force of nature's floods. The fear was palpable across the picturesque plains from Shimla to Manali. Countless homes were demolished, and the luxurious cars of tourists were swiftly swallowed by the rushing waters. A similar fate befell Basant Nagar in Punjab. Even before the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) could arrive, a hero emerged to save 70 terrified residents.
Just days ago, Jugraj Singh, a bronze medalist in the International Canoe Federation 2023 (ICF) World Cup held in China, sprang into action. The 27-year-old, a student at Ropar's Government College, led the evacuation efforts in Ropar during the floods. Jugraj, along with his team members and coach, fearlessly dove into the rescue mission, pulling 70 individuals to safety from the submerged Basant Nagar area of Ropar city before the NDRF could reach the scene.
Reports indicate that the floodwaters had already risen to a staggering 6 feet by that time. Jugraj, hailing from Adlapur village in Gurdaspur, is currently training at a coaching center operated by the Punjab Sports Department in Katli, Ropar. He recently participated in the ICF Dragon Boat World Cup held in Zigui, Yichang, and Hubei, China from June 20th to 23rd, 2023.
Currently, Jugraj is pursuing his MA in Punjabi from Government College, Ropar. The rescue operation in Basant Nagar, which involved evacuating 70 people on July 9 and 80 people on July 10, was carried out by a team of 10 players and two hockey coaches, led by Jagjivan Singh, the coach of the Kayaking Canoeing Coaching Center in Katli.
Jugraj Singh, who has been training for four years, enthusiastically took on the task assigned by his coach. He stated, "I did not waste a single minute because the situation in Basant Nagar was dire. This was our first experience of saving lives during a crisis. As the residents sought refuge on their rooftops, we skillfully transported them to a safer location."
Jugraj further emphasized the team's exceptional performance, comparing it to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams. Despite the NDRF team's delayed arrival on Monday evening, the sports team and coach Jagjivan had already rescued numerous residents and relocated them to safety. Rupesh Kumar, the Ropar District Sports Officer, commended the team's efforts by providing them with three boats and life jackets to facilitate the operation.
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