Rest In Peace Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad, the only man to pass the test of an avalanche in Siachen, loses battle with death.

Sand artist Sudarshan Pattnaik’s tribute to Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad on the Puri beach in Odisha. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter.com/@sudarsansand)

Indian Army jawan Hanamanthappa Koppad passed away in the Army Research and Referral hospital in Delhi at 11:45 am on Thursday, 11 February. Wreath of Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Naik has been laid at Brar Square in Delhi.

The 33-year-old, 19th Battalion of Madras Regiment was declared comatose on Wednesday and had slipped into a deeper coma on Thursday before passing away. Koppad’s family has been in Delhi since Tuesday night.

Also read: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Passes Away After a Tough Battle

Koppad had survived an avalanche that a camp of ten Armymen in Siachen on 3 February. While nine of them were found dead, Koppad had managed to defy nature’s wrath and stay alive under more than 25 feet thick layer of ice for six days.

Also read: Siachen Glacier: Always a Self-Esteem Test for Indian Warriors​​

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi paid respect to Koppad in Delhi. He will be taken to his hometown in Betadur town of Dharwad region in Karnataka on Friday. The bodies of the nine others will be sent to their respective homes.

Also read: In Pictures: Martyrs of Siachen, Rest In Peace

Country Mourns Koppad’s Death