MIRACLE ENDS Service chiefs, politicians line up to pay homage; last rites to be held today at his village in Karnataka
NEW DELHI: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who survived six days buried under 35 feet of snow in Siachen, died at an army hospital on Thursday, ending a nation’s hopes for the soldier’s miraculous recovery.
Koppad, 33, was among the 10 soldiers presumed dead after an avalanche struck their post in the western Himalayas and swept them away at an altitude of 20,500 feet on February 3. The remaining nine perished on the world’s highest battleground.
Koppad’s end came at 11.45 am at the Army Hospital Research and Referral in New Delhi after he suffered multi-organ failure.
For Koppad’s family, it was a cruel quirk of fate. His family and hundreds of people in his village in Karnataka’s Dharwad district had celebrated the news of his dramatic rescue three days ago, hoping to be united with the man who had shown courage and grit against heavy odds.
A solemn wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Brar Square crematorium here where defence minister Manohar Parrikar, the three service chiefs and several dignitaries, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, were present to pay their last tributes to the fallen hero.
One of the most poignant scenes at the ceremony was Koppad’s two-year-old daughter Netra asking for a journalist’s notepad to make a drawing, oblivious to the grief around her. A special Indian Air Force plane flew Koppad’s body to Hubli near Dharwad on Thursday. The martyr’s last rites will be performed at his village on Friday.
Leading the nation in paying homage to Koppad, Prime Minister Na rend ra Mo di tweeted: “He leaves us sad and devastated. RIP Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. The soldier in you remains immortal. Proud that martyrs like you served India.” At the time of rescue, Koppad, who was from Madras Regiment, was conscious but drowsy, disoriented and severely dehydrated. Later, he developed pneumonia and severe other complications that led to multi-organ failure.
“We tried our best to fight the death of the brave Siachen warrior but this morning his blood pressure dropped despite our best efforts and he had a cardiac arrest,” said Lieutenant General SD Duhan, commandant of the army hospital.
The men from 19 Madras were buried after a massive ice wall measuring 800ft by 400ft collapsed on their post. The soldiers were about to complete their 90-day deployment on the glacier.
Koppad’s death has turned the national spotlight on Siachen. The glacier acts as a wedge between Shaksgam valley under China’s control and Baltistan, which is occupied by Pakistan.
India launched Operation Meghdoot in April 1984 after Pakistan’s army occupied dominating heights on the glacier, a 76-km river of slow-moving ice. India currently sits on dominating positions overlooking Pakistani posts located 3,000 feet below. The tragedy has focused attention on the hardship allowance of soldiers serving in Siachen.
FINAL HOURS OF LANCE NAIK KOPPAD
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad’s health worsens on February 10, a day after he was pulled out alive from the Saltoro Ridge
Slips into a deeper state of coma
Kidneys fail
Stops responding to medicines
The pneumonia worsens
Koppad dies of multi-organ failure at 11.45 am
WHAT ABOUT OTHER NINE SOLDIERS?
Bodies of the other nine soldiers are yet to be flown out of Kaziranga base, which is at 19,000 ft
Helicopter sorties have not been possible because of bad weather
IAF’s Cheetal helicopters have conducted 206 sorties already
The bodies were retrieved on February 9.
