Sri Lankan-born Kalya Kandegoda Gamage, who is a South Otago student has become the youngest-ever winner of a Mountbatten medal yesterday (24), after the heroic rescue of his younger brother from heavy surf in New Zealand.

He was presented with the Commonwealth Mountbatten Medal for bravery in a surf rescue, during a special assembly at Tokomairiro High School, in Milton.

On August 27 last year, the then 13-year-old Kalya was paddling on the water’s edge at Chrystalls Beach with his 11-year-old brother Kithmi, when a large wave swept his younger brother off of his feet, and two more large waves pulled him into the water, foreign media reported.

Although Kithmi was a confident swimmer and tried to get back to shore, he failed and continued to tread water and was pulled further from shore.

It was then, when his older brother turned to their mother and said: ‘Ok Mum, I’m going out. I might not be back.”

According to Kalya, it took several jumps to get into the bitterly cold surf, and while he was not scared on the way to his brother, who was 60m from shore, he was scared when he reached him, and the pair had to return.

He was concerned that he and his brother might not make it back to shore, but was relieved when they did so, cold and tired. Kalya said he was happy the siblings did not die that day. Both were now more careful around the sea after their experience.

The citation from the Royal Life Saving Society noted a comment from a local police officer that “no-one survives in that stretch of water, it is notoriously dangerous”.

“Undoubtedly, Kalya’s brave response saved his brother’s life that day.”

While Kalya wanted to start a business, or become an engineer, he also wanted to improve on the swimming skills and lifesaving training he undertook in his home country of Sri Lanka.

Those life-saving skills meant Kalya qualified – and won – the 2022 Mountbatten Medal, which was awarded to just one member of the Commonwealth, each year.

Kalya, who is currently 14-years-old, is the youngest-ever recipient of a prestigious international bravery award.

Principal of the Tokomairiro High School Declan Sheridan, expressed at the assembly that the Commonwealth comprised of 56 countries and 2.4 billion people, “so for him to be singled out in this way is an amazing achievement for a humble young man”.

Taieri MP Ingrid Leary, member of Labour’s Ethnic Caucus and who was at the ceremony, said Kalya was “a true hero”.

--With Agencies Inputs