Vipin Kumar, an Indian construction worker in Romania, has been granted honorary citizenship by the city of Craiova after risking his life to save a five-year-old girl from a frozen lake, DD India reported. Kumar moved to Romania in June 2025 to work as a construction laborer.
The heroic rescue took place in January at Nicolae Romanescu Park în Craiova when the young girl slipped through a thin layer of ice and started to struggle in the sub-zero water.
Kumar was walking nearby with a friend when he witnessed the child fall through. Without hesitation, Kumar used a nearby sledge to slide toward her. When the ice broke beneath him as well, he plunged into the freezing water, managing to grab the child and hold her above the surface for nearly 30 minutes until emergency crews arrived.
Both Kumar and the girl suffered severe hypothermic shock and were rushed to the hospital, where they received treatment. Local authorities noted that the girl's father had also tried to reach her but became trapped in the broken ice.
Moved by his selflessness, Craiova Mayor Lia Olguta Vasilescu proposed the extraordinary honor. The title of Honorary Citizen was formally conferred on June 4 during a ceremony attended by India's Ambassador to Romania, Dr Manoj Kumar Mohapatra.
Speaking at the event, the ambassador noted that Kumar's bravery perfectly mirrored India's core values of service and humanity. It also reflects the ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means "The World is One Family". He added: "What Mr Vipin Kumar did is a true symbol of India".
