New Delhi: Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad died today, three days after he was miraculously rescued alive from beneath tonnes of snow following an avalanche that hit his post in Siachen Glacier at a height of 19,600 feet.
"Lance Naik Hanamanthappa is no more. He breathed his last at 11:45 AM today," a senior army official said.
The 33-year-old soldier of the 19th Battalion of Madras Regiment is survived by his wife Mahadevi Ashok Bilebal and two-year-old daughter Netra Koppad.
A resident of village Betadur in Dharwad district of Karnataka, Koppad had joined the army 13 years ago.
Miracle man
Dubbed as the 'miracle man', the soldier had managed to stay alive for six days buried under the snow after an avalanche struck their post on February 3.
Hanamanthappa was evacuated by a helicopter on Tuesday from the site of the avalanche that hit his post on Siachen Glacier before being shifted to Delhi in an IAF aircraft accompanied by a critical care specialist of the force and a medical specialist from the base camp.
Lance Naik Koppad was flown down to Delhi's Army Research and Referral Hospital, where he battled for life for two days.
Salutes to the soldier
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of the brave soldier.
He leaves us sad & devastated. RIP Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. The soldier in you remains immortal. Proud that martyrs like you served India.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2016
Siachen survivor was highly motivated soldier.
Koppad was found from under 35 feet of ice at an avalanche-hit army post in the Siachen glacier in Jammu and Kashmir - six days after he and nine other soldiers were buried. The bodies of nine other soldiers, including that of Keralite Sudheesh, were recovered on Tuesday.
Kerala offers Rs 25L to Lance Naik Sudheesh's family.
(With Agency inputs)