Vipin Kumar recognised for risking his life to save a five-year-old girl from an icy lake in Craiova
An Indian construction worker has been awarded honorary citizenship by the Romanian city of Craiova after rescuing a five-year-old girl who fell through the ice of a frozen lake earlier this year.
Vipin Kumar, a 47-year-old Indian national working in Romania, received the rare civic honour in recognition of his bravery during a life-threatening incident at Nicolae Romanescu Park in January. The award was formally conferred on June 4 during a ceremony attended by Indian and Romanian officials.
According to local reports, the young girl had been playing near a frozen lake when the ice beneath her gave way, plunging her into the freezing water. Kumar, who was walking nearby with a friend, immediately rushed to help. Using a sled to reach the child, he ventured onto the ice, which also broke beneath him.
-
Despite falling into the icy lake himself, Kumar managed to reach the girl and keep her above the water for nearly 30 minutes until emergency rescue teams arrived
-
Both suffered severe hypothermia and were taken to hospital for treatment. Authorities later said the child’s father had also attempted to rescue her but became trapped in the broken ice
The rescue attracted widespread attention across Romania and on social media, with many praising Kumar’s courage and selflessness. Craiova’s municipal authorities subsequently decided to honour him with honorary citizenship, a distinction rarely granted to foreign nationals.
During the award ceremony, India’s Ambassador to Romania, Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, described Kumar’s actions as a reflection of India’s values of compassion, service and humanity. He said the rescue embodied the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — the belief that the world is one family.
Kumar, who moved to Romania in 2025 for work, has remained modest about the recognition, saying his only thought at the time was to save the child. His actions have since become a powerful symbol of courage and humanity that transcends borders.
