Hav Hangpan Dada AC

Havildar Hangpan Dada, fondly known among his comrades as "Dada," was born on 2nd October 1979 in Borduria village, located in the Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh. He was the son of Shri Senwang Dada and Smt Toi Jing. From a young age, Dada displayed remarkable physical endurance and discipline. Known for his athleticism, he maintained a rigorous fitness routine even as a child, regularly running several kilometers and performing 25 to 30 push-ups every day. These early traits of determination and resilience laid the foundation for a distinguished military career. Motivated by a strong sense of duty and patriotism, Hav Dada joined the Indian Army and was inducted into the elite 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment on 28th October 1997. After serving for six years, he transferred to the Assam Regimental Centre, and on 24th January 2008, he was posted to the 4th Battalion of the Assam Regiment. His dedication, discipline, and fieldcraft earned him great respect in every unit he served.

In 2016, Havildar Dada volunteered for a challenging assignment with the 35 Rashtriya Rifles, a unit actively involved in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Known not only for his battlefield prowess but also for his spiritual grounding, Hav Dada was a devout Christian. He regularly conducted Sunday prayer meetings for fellow soldiers during his service, and he continued to lead such spiritual gatherings even while on leave in his hometown. Apart from his military and spiritual inclinations, Hav Dada had a unique interest in keeping snakes as pets—a rare and adventurous hobby. On one occasion, he was bitten by one of his snakes and had to be airlifted by helicopter for medical treatment, highlighting both his love for the unusual and the high-risk nature of his pursuits. Hav Hangpan Dada's soldierly skills and commitment to the duty made him a beloved figure among his peers and superiors alike. 

Naugam Sector Operation(J&K): 26 May 2016

During May 2016, Hav Dada’s unit, 35 RR was deployed in the Naugam sector of Kupwara district of J&K. The unit troops were manning the forward posts on Shamshabari range and were engaged in operations against the terrorists on a regular basis as the unit's area of responsibility (AOR) was active with militancy. The area was also prone to infiltration, which necessitated regular armed patrols to check any infiltration from across the border. The AOR of the unit spanned over remote, rugged mountainous terrain with extreme weather conditions, especially in the winter season.  On 26 May 2016, one of the soldiers at 'Meera' post of the unit observed suspicious movement and alerted his Company Commander, Major K Amritha Raj. Immediately, four posts on the ridgeline, along with three posts sticking out from the snow-swept slopes below, were put on high alert.  Hav Hangpan Dada was manning the 'Sabu' post along with a few other soldiers, about 2000 meters below the ridge line. Hav Dada without any delay swung into action and deployed his troops to hem the terrorists in. 

As the posts on the ridge line opened up, firing on spotting the terrorists, they swiftly moved down towards the 'Sabu' post where Hav Dada, along with his comrades, lay to ambush them. But the terrorists spotted the positions of Hav Dada and his men and attacked them with bursts of fire from their automatic weapons. Hav Dada, realizing the gravity of the situation, in a daring move, leapt from his position and charged up the slope towards the intruders. In a swift move, Hav Dada then fired and eliminated two terrorists. He soon spotted two more terrorists sprinting in different directions to take cover behind the large boulders. Hav Dada, trudging through the snow, dashed towards the third terrorist. His buddy Lance Hav Vareshang was trailing just behind him to give him cover if needed. In the meantime, the third terrorist sprang from the boulder and released a burst of fire at Hav Dada. However, Hav Dada, in lightning speed, flung himself sideways and managed to dodge the burst of bullets. He then crept towards the boulder and lunged at the hiding terrorist.

In a hand to hand fight that followed, Hav Dada smashed the terrorist with his rifle butt and then snapped his neck. He then turned his attention towards the fourth terrorist, but by then, he was standing exposed. At this juncture, the fourth terrorist hiding behind a boulder shot at Hav Dada, and the bullet ripped through his neck. Despite his grievous wounds, Hav Dada pinned down the shooter and severely injured him.  However, Hav Dada soon succumbed to his injuries and was martyred. Hav Dada killed three terrorists in the operation single-handedly, and his action led to the elimination of the fourth terrorist as well. Hav Dada’s action of eliminating three terrorists in an engagement at close quarters and injuring a fourth one, in disregard to his personal safety, foiled the infiltration bid and ensured the safety of his comrades. Hav Dada displayed exemplary courage and determination during the operation and laid down his life in the line of his duty. Hav Hangpan Dada was given the nation’s highest gallantry award during peacetime operations, “Ashok Chakra”, on the eve of Independence Day in 2016.

Hav Hangpan Dada is survived by his wife Smt Chasen Lowang Dada, daughter Roukhin, and son Senwang.

The citation for "Ashok Chakra" awarded to him reads:

Hav Hangpan Dada joined 3 rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. on 28 Oct 1997. In 2005, he was transferred to the Assam Regimental Centre, and on 24 January 2008, he joined the 4 th battalion, Assam Regiment. He then requested to transfer to a Rashtriya Rifles battalion on operations in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. He was posted to 35 Rashtriya Rifles in May 2016.

On the night of 26 May 2016, Hav Dada, as Sabu Post Commander of 35 Rashtriya Rifles, while establishing a stop along with his section at 12,500 feet, led a charge on hiding terrorists in the Shamashabari Ranges in Naugam, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the neutralization of four heavily armed terrorists. He along with his team spotted the movement of terrorists in the area and engaged them in a fierce encounter that went on for over 24 hours. He charged at the spot where terrorists were and killed two terrorists on the spot and later the third one after a hand-to hand scuffle as they slid down the hill towards the line of Control. Hav Dada sustained a sudden burst of automatic fire from the hiding fourth terrorist receiving a gun shot wound. He continued to pin down the fourth terrorist and later succumbed to his injuries received before wounding the terrorist. Hav Dada’s action of eliminating three terrorists in an engagement at close quarters and injuring a fourth one, in disregard to his personal safety, foiled the infiltration bid and ensured the safety of his men.

He was honoured posthumously, with the government announcing the highest gallantry award during peace time operations, the ASHOK CHAKRA,(Posthumously) on the eve of the Republic Day in 2017.