Madhya Pradesh anganwadi cook dies saving 20 children from bee attack, shields them with mats and tarpaulins
Ankita Shukla | Feb 06, 2026, 00:02 IST
Kanchan Bai Meghwal, the Anganwadi cook and leader of the Jai Mata Di self-help group, didn’t think twice. She grabbed mats, blankets, anything she could use, and started wrapping the kids one by one, hustling them safely inside the building. She put herself between the swarm and the children, like a human shield, no questions asked.
It started out as a normal sunny afternoon in Ranpur, Madhya Pradesh. Kids were laughing, running around outside the Anganwadi, completely oblivious to what was about to happen. Then suddenly, a huge swarm of bees appeared from nowhere, buzzing furiously, circling the children like a dark, angry cloud. Panic broke out. Screams pierced the air. Little feet scattered in every direction. And right there, in the middle of all that chaos, one woman didn’t freeze, she ran straight toward it.
Kanchan Bai Meghwal, the Anganwadi cook and leader of the Jai Mata Di self-help group, didn’t think twice. She grabbed mats, blankets, anything she could use, and started wrapping the kids one by one, hustling them safely inside the building. She put herself between the swarm and the children, like a human shield, no questions asked.
Every child got out unharmed. But Kanchan Bai wasn’t so lucky. The bees turned on her, and hundreds of stings rained down. Villagers rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late. She had given her life to save them.
She wasn’t just the Anganwadi cook. She was the heart of her family, caring for a paralyzed husband and three kids on a tiny income. And yet, when danger appeared, her focus was only on the children.
Witnesses recall her calm in the chaos. “She wrapped each child carefully, even as the bees were all over her,” one villager said. “She made sure they were safe before thinking about herself.”
Her story has touched hearts all over India. Social media is full of posts calling her a “hero of humanity,” a “quiet guardian,” someone whose heart was bigger than any fear. People are asking that her sacrifice be honored, her kids get free education for life, and her family be supported.
Kanchan Bai’s courage was raw, real, unforgettable. She gave her tomorrow so twenty children could have theirs. And in Ranpur, and on screens across the country, her bravery keeps reminding us of something simple: true heroism often comes quietly, in small, selfless acts.
Image source: PTI/X
Kanchan Bai Meghwal, the Anganwadi cook and leader of the Jai Mata Di self-help group, didn’t think twice. She grabbed mats, blankets, anything she could use, and started wrapping the kids one by one, hustling them safely inside the building. She put herself between the swarm and the children, like a human shield, no questions asked.
She saved them all
Every child got out unharmed. But Kanchan Bai wasn’t so lucky. The bees turned on her, and hundreds of stings rained down. Villagers rushed her to the hospital, but it was too late. She had given her life to save them.
She wasn’t just the Anganwadi cook. She was the heart of her family, caring for a paralyzed husband and three kids on a tiny income. And yet, when danger appeared, her focus was only on the children.
Witnesses recall her calm in the chaos. “She wrapped each child carefully, even as the bees were all over her,” one villager said. “She made sure they were safe before thinking about herself.”
A hero
Her story has touched hearts all over India. Social media is full of posts calling her a “hero of humanity,” a “quiet guardian,” someone whose heart was bigger than any fear. People are asking that her sacrifice be honored, her kids get free education for life, and her family be supported.
Kanchan Bai’s courage was raw, real, unforgettable. She gave her tomorrow so twenty children could have theirs. And in Ranpur, and on screens across the country, her bravery keeps reminding us of something simple: true heroism often comes quietly, in small, selfless acts.
Image source: PTI/X