Farewell soldier: India salutes Siachen hero

Namita Suhag, wife of Army chief General Dalbir Singh, consoles the widow Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad at the soldier’s wreath-laying ceremony Delhi on February 11. General Dalbir Singh is seen standing behind Koppad’s widow Mahadevi. Koppad, who survived for six days under tonnes of snow at Siachen, lost the battle for life at an army hospital in Delhi. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

Updated on: Feb 12, 2016 11:08 AM IST

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Namita Suhag, wife of Army chief General Dalbir Singh, consoles the widow Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad at the soldier’s wreath-laying ceremony Delhi on February 11. General Dalbir Singh is seen standing behind Koppad’s widow Mahadevi. Koppad, who survived for six days under tonnes of snow at Siachen, lost the battle for life at an army hospital in Delhi. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

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An avalanche had swept Koppad and nine other soldiers, all dead, under 35 feet of snow in Siachen, a hostile mountain desert and one of the country’s farthest military outposts in the north. (Arun Sharma/HT Photo)

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Navy chief Admiral Robin K Dhowan salutes Koppad. People began filing in to the cantonment area for Koppad’s wreath-laying ceremony, but were turned away since the event wasn’t open to public. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

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A host of political leaders, including defence minister Manohar Parrikar and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, paid their respect to Koppad at his wreath-laying ceremony . (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

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Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha salutes Koppad. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

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Namita Suhag, wife of Army chief General Dalbir Singh, attends the wreath-laying ceremony of rescued soldier Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

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Soldiers sound the Last Post for their fallen comrade. (Arun Sharma/ HT Photo)

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attends the wreath-laying ceremony. He was among the several politicians who paid their respects to the soldier. (Arun Sharma/HT Photo )