Indian origin worker honoured with Romanian citizenship for saving girl from frozen lake

Indian construction worker Vipin Kumar has been granted honorary citizenship by the Romanian city of Craiova for risking his life to save a five-year-old girl from a frozen lake earlier this year.

Kumar, who moved to Romania in June 2025 for work, became a local hero after rescuing the 5-year-old girl from an icy lake at Nicolae Romanescu Park in January. The child had fallen through a thin layer of ice and was struggling in the freezing water.

Kumar was walking nearby with a friend when he noticed the girl in the frozen lake. Without thinking twice, he grabbed a nearby sledge and slid across the ice to reach the girl. However, the ice also broke beneath him, and he fell into the freezing water. Despite the dangerous conditions, Kumar managed to hold the girl above the water for nearly 30 minutes until emergency rescue teams arrived.

Both Kumar and the child suffered severe hypothermia and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Authorities said the girl’s father had also tried to rescue her but became trapped in the broken ice.

In recognition of his courage and selfless act, Craiova Mayor Lia Olguta Vasilescu proposed awarding Kumar honorary citizenship. The honour was officially presented on June 4 in the presence of India’s Ambassador to Romania, Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra. The ambassador praised Kumar’s bravery, saying it reflected India’s values of humanity and selfless service.

Speaking after receiving the honour, Kumar remained humble. He said his only thought was to save the little girl and praised her courage during the rescue. Along with honorary citizenship, Kumar will also receive an expedited residence permit. The rescue video has since gone viral, earning admiration from people across India and Romania.