U.S. President Trump honours Telugu girl for gesture towards COVID-19 heroes

10-year-old Sravya had sent personalised cards to healthcare workers across the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump with Sravya.

Little contributions in difficult times make a great difference, and when Sravya Annapareddy sent personalised cards to healthcare workers fighting COVID-19 across the United States, little did she know that it would catch the attention of the American President himself.

The 10-year-old Telugu girl born in the US was among three girl scouts in that country to be honoured by President Donald Trump on Saturday in White House for applauding COVID front line workers. Sravya, along with Laila Khan and Lauren Matney from Troop 744 based out of Elkridge, Maryland, donated 100 boxes of Girl Scouts cookies to local fire fighters, doctors and nurses.

Apart from this, they also sent personalised greeting cards to healthcare workers across the country showing their support and encouragement to their fight against the virus. Sravya is a fourth grade student at Hanover Hills Elementary School in Hanover, Maryland.

“Everyone can do something is what our team believed,” said Sravya delighted that their small work has been recognised and inspired thousands. “We represented the entire school children of the US,” she said, adding her parents raised her with Indian values and belief of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family).

President Trump praised the scouts and said he was in awe and admiration of heroism, bravery, commitment and love of the Americans fighting the virus, said Sravya’s father, Vijay Reddy Annappareddy, a pharmacist from Maryland who hails from Guntur. His wife Seeta Kallam, a medical graduate from Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam, hails from Narasaya Palem near Bapatla.

Mr. Vijay Reddy said Sravya has always had concern for society and been very active volunteering for various community activities along with her brother Aviv Annappareddy. “Recognition from White House was totally unexpected and this would make a huge difference to her life and her ambition to do more for the society,” he added.

Sravya’s parents had donated ₹25 lakh towards setting up of a water purification plant in Ramanayapalem, Andhra Pradesh, in Sravya’s name when she was born.