JAIPUR: In a noble gesture, a 17-year-old differently-abled boy suffering from a fatal disease has donated Rs 2 lakh that he had received as prize money for winning two national awards to the PM-CARES fund to assist relief works in the fight against COVID-19.

Hridayeshwar Singh Bhati, who is the youngest patent holder of India with 7 inventions including 3 patents to his name, has received two national awards by the government of India with a prize money of Rs 1 lakh each.

He decided to contribute the amount of Rs 2 lakh to the PM-CARES fund in view of the coronavirus spread.

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"The country gave so much and now, this is the time for me to contribute and therefore, I returned Rs 2 lakh prize money and contributed to the PM-CARES relief fund. The certificates and medals are the real awards which are with me," he said.

Bound to a wheelchair, Bhati was given national award by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu under the "Most Outstanding Creative and Inventor Child of India" category in December last year and was given "PM Rashtriya Bal Shakti Puraskar" by President Ram Nath Kovind in January this year.

Bhati is suffering from duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. He invented circular chess in 2013 and became the youngest patent holder of the country.

He has also invented 12 and 60 player circular chess and got patents for them. He has contributed in ramp modification for power vehicle accessibility in two vehicles, 16X16 Sudoku and has filed patents for them as well.

