All great things come in small packages and on meeting Tejaswini Manogna, the adage is truly personified. All of 15 years, this talented young prodigy is a force to reckon with. This Hyderabadi teenager, who was recently awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award and honoured by the President, has an endless list of achievements to her credit, yet is as humble as they come.

She joined the NCC out of her love for the armed forces and aced over 13 lakh aspirants to become the “All India Best Cadet.” Today she takes pride in being the National Youth Ambassador and has been chosen from among many to be part of a national youth exchange programme. She recalls her rigorous training, “During the camp, I would get only three hours of sleep for six months. I’d get up at 3 am. At noon, we’d get to the firing sessions, where I’d shoot 22 mm rifles from a distance of 25 yds. I was adjudged the best shooter scoring 150/150.”
Scaling the summit after a host of cadet sessions, interviews, group discussions and intense studying, this Bharatanatyam pro dancer truly proved her mettle. Recalling the award ceremony where she was awarded the PM’s baton, an equivalent of Colonel rank in the army, she gushes, “It was very prestigious. When I came back, my trainers saluted the baton. I met Sheila Dixit, Hamid Ansari, Rahul Gandhi, A.K. Anthony and the heads of the defence forces.” The teenager aims to become a civil servant.