Shivani does not remember how many more of the 120 children she saved from drowning that misty morning. ``But there are at least four others,'' says one of her teachers from Shaheed Ameerchand Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Ludlow Castle, ``who have repeatedly pointed out they are alive today because of Shivani.''

She has been selected for the National Bravery Award along with two other schoolmates -- Atif and Anurag. She, however, says the award would have meant much more if she could have saved her seven-year-old brother Jatin as well Sangeeta's younger brother Harish.

``Sangeeta and I were still chatting, when the bus hit the water,'' says Shivani. ``Suddenly there was darkness all around, and then the cold water rushed in. The strong current pulled her under the water.''

She adds: ``When I found Sangeeta again, she was unconscious. I barely managed to pull her up to the top of the bus.'' Fishermen like Abdul Sattar and his ilk took over from there.

Shivani even managed to find her brother. But she didn't know then that he was dead. So she went back inside the bus a few more times, and dragged out whoever she could find.

What she did that day, says Shivani, was partially on impulse and partially because she is a good swimmer, and ``can hold her breath for two minutes under water''. Her father, Umesh Chand Sharma is a swimming coach and is employed with the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

A year after the tragedy, Shivani, who lives in Bhajanpura, and Sangeeta, in Yamuna Vihar, still go to the same school, and still travel together. They don't talk about the tragedy too often, but chilling memories return every time they read about school bus accidents in newspapers.

``When Sahib Singh Verma met us after the accident, he promised to get the bridge widened. He also promised to ensure that buses, not just school buses, are never overcrowded again,'' says Shivani.

She is angry that a year later the bridge has not been reconstructed and buses are still overcrowded. ``The only change that has taken place is that our school has ensured that two buses ply on the same route, with not more than 50 children in each.'' And Sangeeta, pointing towards the spot where the bus fell, says: ``I survived...but life will never be the same. So many friends, our brothers...all gone.'' On page 3: Sahib forgot all about park, bridge promises.