The incident occurred when Mhonbeni and her grandmother had gone to visit the bank of the Anunga river in the village in Wokha district during her winter vacation in January last year, according to a statement issued by PIB (Defence Wing).
As her grandmother fell into the river while washing her hands, the little girl pulled her out of the water. Later she ran to a nearby village and returned with locals who took the ailing woman to a hospital.
She has been nominated for the award for this brave act, the statement said.