Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who was dubbed miracle man for surviving 6 days under huge ice and snow debris after an avalanche hit won the Sena medal.
The soldier lost his life to multiple organ failure following the miraculous survival, and was posthumously awarded the medal.
His wife Mahadevi Ashok Bilebal received the medal from Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat at Army Day parade.
A resident of village Betadur in Dharwad district of Karnataka, the Madras regiment soldier was pulled out alive from under 30 ft of ice-and-snow debris.
He lay buried for six days on the Siachen glacier.
He managed to stay alive for six days in minus 45 degree C temperature buried under ice and snow.
10 Army personnel, including Koppad, were were buried alive on February 3 in an avalanche. Siachen is the world's highest battlefield.
His death was deeply condoled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the whole nation paid glowing tributes to the 33-year-old soldier.
He had served for 10 years in difficult and challenging areas out of his 13 years of service.
He had also served in the north-east in 2010-2012 where he participated in operations against NDFB and ULFA.
About the Siachen Avalanche 2016- On 3 February 2016, an avalanche hit an Indian military base in northern Siachen Glacier.
- It trapped 10 soldiers, highlighting risks that soldiers face in manning the inhospitable terrain at heights of 21,000 feet.
- Indians soldiers battle extreme weather conditions on the world’s highest battlefield.
- On an average, India spends INR. 5 crore a day for maintaining troops on the glacier.
