As the news media began covering Rasuwa flash flood, we have a glimpse of several unsung heroes emerging at the time of crisis, saving the lives of the people. Basically, there are two types. One, who sacrificed their life to save others. They moved beyond the call of their duties to save the life of other people. Two, there are others, with their momentous decision, saved others. These heroes need to be identified, recognized, their stories documented, and be awarded for self-less contributions. Without these heroes, society cannot sustain. What we see is: due to infiltration of social media, there are more clowns, seeking media attention and going viral with their stunts. These people may overshadow our unsung heroes. Here is a possible list of them:

  1. The first category of heroes, included those security people, who sacrificed their life, while on duty, warning others to evacuate. While saving others, they perished themselves in the devastating flood. The names of these heroes must be listed and their living kith and kin be rewarded posthumously.

  2. The second category of heroes included, school teachers and headmasters, who save the life of the schools kids. Their quick and momentous decision to close the schools and divert students to safer grounds, saved the life of hundreds of students.

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In one of the clips circulating in the social media, one can see a lady teacher holding two kids; while rushing towards a higher ground, briefly fell down but managed to stand up and carry one. Within a flash of a second, before the flood could reach her from behind, she managed to save the kids.

  1. The third category included helicopter pilots who took multiple rescue operations despite difficult terrain and lack of helipads. A pilot was briefing that, in some places, they have to manage shifting stranded people, literally, holding the aircraft in the air. A lady pilot (unusual in a male dominated Nepali society) is reported carrying more than 100 flights to rescue wounded and sick people stranded in the flood.

  2. The fourth category included our Nepali brothers and sisters, business entrepreneurs and family members, NGOs and INGOs, working inside and outside the country, who voluntarily contributed to the relief fund. They selflessly opened their private purse to donate crores of rupees. Definitely, the amount should not be a guiding criteria to reward them. We should focus on their use and impact.

  3. The fifth category included people who help to recover bank vaults washed by the flood. There are also people voluntarily returning ornaments and jewelry found in the aftermath of flood.

  4. Last but not the least, I will put the sixth category of people as the tunnel rescue team, both Nepali and foreigners, who are risking their life to rescue people working deep down in the hydro-power tunnels. As the work is continuing, we need to keep a tag. How many of us had watched live streaming of rescue operation of 33 Chilean miners trapped for 69 days underground in 2010 or 12 kids trapped inside the cave in Northern Thailand in 2018? The job at hand is no less daring. Unfortunately, we have cartoon characters shrieking their responsibility that there is no technology available to evacuate people from deep muddy tunnels. What is required is not the technology, rather a sheer determination and encouragement to fight and save the people in danger. He should go and watch how the kids were rescue, the whole logistic management involved in rescue operation. We can do nothing with the cartoon characters.