These are hard times for Kerala. In God's own country, the current mantra is to move past the struggles, hustle hard and rise from its ashes in order to put the state back to its former glory at the earliest. The past week has been a tremendous challenge for the community where people not only had to leave behind their homes for the sake of their lives, but have also been displaced to far off areas in search of a safer place.

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While the government and the military personnel carried out their responsibilities round-the-clock and took every possible measure to bring maximum people to safety, it also needs to be admitted that a calamity of this scale couldn't have been brought under control without the active participation of the locals who have come through like superheroes in disguise. 

The people of Kerala have come together to put on a fight, do their bit and keep up the city's spirit. While trained and equipped people did their bit, many superheroes in disguise stepped in to lend a hand and together, they have managed to inspire the nation and restored its faith in humanity.

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We have curated a list of 11 real-life superheroes who have become the face of courage, selflessness and the spirit of brotherhood in Kerala's moment of crisis.

1. The Fishermen Community

The fishermen community have become the saving grace of Kerala and its people. Not only have they lent their boats and services, they have also gone out of their way to ensure they reach as many people and help the stranded reach shelters and camps. A special mention also needs to be given to fisherman Jaisal KP who hunched on a flooded road to help the elderly and women board a rescue raft. His act is being applauded by the public.

2. Blanket Merchant Vishnu Kacchawa

#Viral Meet Vishnu Kachhawa, the MP native who donated all his blankets to #KeralaFloods victims. It was his 'payback' to the land which has been offering him a livelihood for more than twelve years. This migrant laborer offers us a warm reason to smile. https://t.co/hx5BaqdCNw pic.twitter.com/1BqE5tk4sz

— Jikku Varghese Jacob (@Jikkuvarghese) August 12, 2018

A door-to-door blanket seller in Kerala and originally hailing from the state of Madhya Pradesh, Vishnu donated all 50 of the blankets he had in stock to those who have been sheltered in Iritty and Kannur rescue camps, upon hearing about the needs of the people when natural calamity struck Kerala. Kudos to the man for this selfless act.

3. Kerala Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas

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While people always claim that ministers take the easy way out and look out for their personal interests first, Water Resource Minister of state, Mathew Thomas has silenced the gossip mongers by getting on the ground and helping rescue workers with their efforts.

4. Engineering Students Who Developed Emergency Power Banks

When everybody in the state was busy arranging other items of need for the flood victims such as food and clothes, a group of engineering students from Trivandrum's Government Engineering College came out with an ingenious measure to tackle the issue of power cuts that prevented people from charging their phones. The students developed emergency, short-term power banks and distributed around 880 power banks amongst the masses. What a thoughtful move!

5. Indian Navy Officer & Flight Diver Who Airlifted A Stranded Kid

#OpMadad #KeralaFloodRelief #keralafloods Flight Diver Amit rescues a small child from Aluva. Pilot in Command Cdr Vijay Verma @SpokespersonMoD @DefenceMinIndia @DG_PIB pic.twitter.com/UQmf5rYu27

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2018

This video went viral the moment it surfaced on social media and we totally understand the sentiment. No person with skills and means has held back from helping out the ones in need, and this is just one such incident caught on camera wherein we can see flight diver Amit rescuing a stranded child to safety with pilot-in-command Cdr. Vijay Verma manning the helicopter and airlifting the duo.

6. Leader of Opposition Shedding Political Differences - Ramesh Chennithala

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Ramesh Chennithala of Indian National Congress set an example by placing humanity and fraternity above politics in such times of crisis. Like minister of state Mathew Thomas, he can be seen helping out the public and guiding them to safety. We're sure his efforts didn't go unnoticed.

7. Volunteers At The Khalsa Aid Organisation

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The Khalsa Aid Organisation has come forward as a team of true heroes who have constantly stoked the hearth to keep the food supply going even in the face of lesser resources. They have relentlessly been cooking for the stranded people and the volunteers have so far distributed food to at least ten thousand people. They are the real heroes of Kerala.

8. NDRF Team Member Kanhaiya Kumar Who Risked His Life To Save A Kid

NDRF constable Kanhaiya is being hailed as a hero ever since this video reached the public. Here, he is seen rescuing a child by running across a bridge with the child in his arms minutes before the water level touched the dangerous mark and gave way under the streams pressure. His valiant gesture has made the nation proud.

9. Fire Force Personnel Rushing A Child To The Ambulance

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A local photographer Bibin Xavier caught on camera this Fire Force personnel from Kerala who is knee-deep in mud and seems determined to save the child in his arms by rushing him to the nearby ambulance, after he was rescued from the rubble of a house that collapsed due to landslide. We salute his efforts.

10. IAS Officers Delivering Food Supplies To Victims

Netizens have constantly been praising the two young IAS officers, MG Rajamanikyam and NSK Umesh who decided to join volunteers and rescue workers instead of delegating the task to them, by carrying loaded sacks of rice on their shoulders to a flood relief camp. Such a novel thing to do.

11. Student & Part-time Fisherseller Hanan Hamid Who Donated 1.5 Lakhs

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A B.Sc third-year student from Kerala, Hanan Hamid who caught media attention a few months back when she was trolled by netizens and the public for selling fish in her uniform to help meet ends at home, has donated 1.5 lakhs that she had received from well-wishers from across the state to the flood relief fund, as a way of paying it forward. What an example she has us for all of us.

These are the real-life superheroes who have saved the state in their own special ways and we cannot thank them enough for their efforts and restoring our faith in humanity.