Muthumari, 46, works as a labourer in a Tea Plantation Corporation, in Periyakallar estate near Pollachi and was the recipient of the Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise for rescuing her daughter from a leopard. 

She was felicitated with Rs 5 lakh cash prize, a medal and a certificate. 

“I will utilise the cash for my children’s education,” she said. While talking about the fateful day, Muthumari said that on May 25 at 5.30 pm, when she and her 11-yearold daughter, Sathya, were arranging logs in front of their house, a leopard suddenly appeared and attacked the daughter. 

“The leopard dragged her for close to 20 metres. On hearing her scream, I took a thick wooden log and hit the leopard with all my might following which the leopard dropped Sathya and fled,” Muthumari said. 

Sathya is a Class 6 student. Following the attack, Sathya was rushed to hospital where she was administered nine stitches. She has fully recovered. When asked how she gained the courage to attack leopard, Muthumari said, “How could I not do anything when my daughter was being dragged away by the leopard? I do not know how I gathered so much courage but it all happened in a flash and I know that at that moment I had to save my daughter and so I attacked the animal. The thought of calling my neighbours for help never crossed my mind.” 

Muthumari’s husband Iyyaparaj deserted her long ago and she is the sole breadwinner of her family. She has an elder son, Manikandan, who is studying in Class 10.