The city of Craiova on June 4 conferred honorary citizenship on 41-year-old Vipin Kumar (right) in recognition of his bravery. Photo: Facebook/India in Romania and Moldova
Indian awarded honorary Romanian citizenship for saving 5-year-old girl from frozen lake
Vipan Kumar was honoured by the city of Craiova after risking his life to save a five-year-old girl from an icy lake earlier this year
An Indian construction worker has been awarded honorary citizenship by a Romanian city after risking his own life to save a five-year-old girl from an icy lake earlier this year.
The city of Craiova conferred honorary citizenship on 41-year-old Vipan Kumar on June 4, in recognition of his bravery after he rescued a young girl who had fallen into a frozen lake at Nicolae Romanescu Park in January.
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According to local authorities, Kumar spotted the child struggling in the freezing water and immediately jumped in without hesitation. After reaching the girl, he kept her above the water's surface for nearly 30 minutes until emergency rescue teams arrived.
Kumar recalls dramatic rescue
Recalling the incident, Kumar told Romanian broadcaster Digi24 that he had little time to think before acting.
“I was on a walk with a friend. I saw the little girl in the water, then I jumped immediately. The water was very cold,” he said.
He added that concern for the child's safety outweighed any fear for his own life. “I just tried to get her out of the water, that’s all I thought about. The little girl was very brave,” Kumar said.
Recognition for bravery act
Moved by his actions, Craiova Mayor Lia Olguţa Vasilescu announced that the city would honour Kumar for what she described as a selfless act of courage. The honorary citizenship title was formally presented during a ceremony attended by India's Ambassador to Romania, Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.
Speaking at the event, Mohapatra said Kumar's actions reflected the values of compassion, service and humanity that India seeks to promote across the world. He also described the rescue as embodying the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the Indian philosophy that translates to "The World is One Family."
In a video from the ceremony that has since circulated widely on social media, the ambassador can be heard telling the audience, “What Mr Vipin Kumar did, that is the symbol of India.”
Indian diaspora in Romania
Kumar's recognition has also drawn attention to Romania's growing Indian community. The active Indian diaspora in the country consists of thousands of legal residents, many of whom work in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, hospitality and logistics.
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To address labour shortages, India and Romania have also developed pathways for the recruitment of skilled Indian workers.
The video of Kumar receiving the honour has been widely praised online, with many users hailing him as a real-life hero.