Army pays tribute to soldier who died on Siachen Glacier

New Delhi, October 23: The Indian Army on Sunday paid tribute to Havaldar Darpan Pradhan who
made the supreme sacrifice on October 21 while deployed on the Siachen Glacier.
Earlier in August, the Northern Command of the Indian Army recovered the mortal remains of a
soldier after 38 years, who went missing during ‘Operation Meghdoot' in 1984.
‘Operation Meghdoot', the code-name for an Indian armed forces operation, was launched 38 years
ago on April 13.
Launched in 1984 to capture the Siachen Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir, precipitating the Siachen
conflict, this military operation was unique as the first assault was launched at the world's highest
battlefield. The military action resulted in Indian troops gaining control of the entire Siachen Glacier.
The Indian Army said that Lance Naik late Chander Sekhar had been missing since May 29, 1984 in
Siachen.
“LNk (Late) Chander Shekhar was identified with the help of the identification disk bearing his Army
number which was entangled along with the mortal remains,” it said, adding that further details
were recovered from official Army records.
According to the Indian Army's records, the late soldier had been deployed for Operation Meghdoot
at Gyongla Glacier in 1984.
“A patrol of Indian Army recovered the mortal remains of LNk (Late) Chander Shekhar who was
missing since 29 May 1984 while deployed at glacier due to an avalanche,” the Northern Command
of Indian Army said in a tweet.
The Siachen Glacier is the highest battleground on earth, where India and Pakistan have fought
intermittently since 1984. Both countries maintain a permanent military presence in the region at a
height of over 6,000 metres (20,000 ft). More than 2,000 soldiers people have died in this
inhospitable terrain, mostly due to weather extremes and the natural hazards of mountain warfare.
(Agencies)