Kaski District, Nepal: A 12-year-old Dalit boy is being hailed as a national hero in Nepal, after risking his own life last week to rescue a toddler from a 60-foot-deep gorge.

Strapped in a safety harness, Kamal Nepali scrambled down a steep, narrow hole where adults could not fit to rescue 2 ½ -year-old Aradhana Pradhan, according to the Jagaran Media Center (JMC). JMC, an Advocacy Project partner, is a news service that focuses on the rights of the Dalit, a lower caste that often faces discrimination in Nepal.

The child had been trapped in the gorge in Pokhara, Nepal for nearly two days, and previous rescue attempts by the Nepali Army and the Nepal Canoeing Association had been unsuccessful. Aradhana was treated at Pokhara-based Manipal Hospital and is doing well, according to JMC.

Since Kamal’s courageous act June 25, Nepal’s Prime Minister has praised the boy, and private businesses and non-governmental organizations have stepped up to offer cash rewards for his bravery. Individuals have also expressed their appreciation, and many have offered to help sponsor his education and support him in the future.

Aradhana’s grateful parents, John and Easter, said they now regard Kamal as their son.

Read the full story from JMC.