Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad SM

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad hailed from a humble farming family in Betadur village of Kundagol taluk, located in Karnataka’s Dharwad district. The youngest in the family, he nurtured a deep desire to serve the nation from a very early age. His childhood was marked by hardship and discipline; he would walk nearly six kilometres every day to attend high school in Aralikatti village. These early struggles shaped his resilience and determination. His dream of joining the Indian Army did not come easily. He faced rejection three times at recruitment rallies held in Belagavi, Dharwad, and Gadag. Yet, instead of giving up, he remained steadfast in his resolve. His perseverance ultimately bore fruit when he was finally recruited into the Indian Army in 2002—an achievement that stood as a testament to his unbreakable spirit. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was inducted into 19 Madras of the illustrious Madras Regiment, a unit renowned for its gallantry, discipline, and rich legacy of battle and theatre honours. Over the years, he proved himself to be a committed and dependable soldier, always ready to serve in the most demanding conditions.

In 2012, he married Mahadevi (Jayashri), and the couple was blessed with a daughter, Netra. Despite the responsibilities of family life, his dedication to duty never wavered. By 2016, he had completed around 13 years of exemplary service, of which nearly ten years were spent in some of the most challenging operational areas of the country. His operational tenures reflected the courage and endurance expected of a frontline soldier. From 2003 to 2006, he served in Jammu and Kashmir, actively participating in counter-insurgency operations. He was again deputed to the region with 54 Rashtriya Rifles between 2008 and 2010, continuing his contribution to maintaining peace and security. Subsequently, from 2010 to 2012, he served in the northeastern states, where he took part in operations against militants under extremely difficult terrain and conditions.

In August 2015, Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was posted to one of the harshest battlefields in the world—the icy heights of the Siachen Glacier. Serving at extreme altitudes and sub-zero temperatures, he continued to uphold the highest traditions of the Indian Army with courage, endurance, and unwavering commitment to the nation.

Sonam Post Avalanche: 03 Feb 2016

During 2015–16, Lance Naik Hanumanthappa’s unit, 19 Madras, was deployed in the Siachen sector under the command of Colonel Um Bahadur Gurung. This deployment placed the battalion in one of the most hostile operational environments on earth, where survival itself is a daily battle. In December 2015, Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was selected along with nine other brave soldiers to man the Sonam Post—one of the highest permanently manned military posts in the world, situated atop the Saltoro Ridge. The post commanded a strategic view of the Siachen Glacier to the east and Pakistan-occupied territories to the west, making it both tactically significant and extremely vulnerable. The Sonam Post was notorious for its treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather. Soldiers stationed there faced relentless challenges: violent winds, extreme cold, frequent whiteouts, and the constant threat of avalanches. Temperatures often plunged to as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius, while the high altitude of over 20,500 feet exposed troops to severe risks of hypoxia, frostbite, and acute mountain sickness. Survival in such conditions demanded exceptional physical endurance, mental resilience, and advanced training in high-altitude warfare and sustenance.

Alongside Lance Naik Hanumanthappa, the team deployed at Sonam Post comprised Subedar Nagesha T.T., Havildar Elumalai, Lance Havildar S. Kumar, Lance Naik Sudheesh B., Sepoy Mahesha P.N., Sepoy Ganesan G., Sepoy Rama Moorthy N., Sepoy Mustaq Ahmed S., and Sepoy Sunil Suryawanshi. Together, these soldiers stood guard in one of the world’s harshest frontiers, confronting not only the threat of enemy action but also the merciless forces of nature. On the morning of 3 February 2016, tragedy struck. A massive avalanche—triggered by enormous blocks of snow breaking away from the mountainside—thundered down upon the Sonam Post. Within seconds, the entire post was engulfed and buried under nearly 25 feet of snow. All ten soldiers stationed there were trapped beneath the ice and debris, with little hope of survival in such extreme conditions. The Indian Army immediately launched a massive and relentless rescue operation, deploying specialized teams, equipment, and medical support despite the severe weather and terrain. After six agonizing days of continuous search efforts, rescuers finally located Lance Naik Hanumanthappa beneath the snow. In what was nothing short of a miracle, he was found alive, though in a critical condition—his pulse was feeble, and he was semi-conscious, disoriented, and severely weakened after being buried for nearly six days in sub-zero temperatures.

Tragically, the remaining nine brave soldiers, including the Junior Commissioned Officer of the Madras Regiment, could not survive the devastating impact of the avalanche. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa remained the sole survivor of the Sonam Post tragedy, his survival symbolizing both the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit and the indomitable courage of the Indian soldier. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was flown in an ALH helicopter to Siachen Base Camp and from there to the military airfield Thoise (an acronym for Transit Halt of Indian Soldiers En Route) for transferring him to Army Hospital at Delhi. The whole nation prayed for Lance Naik Hanumanthappa’s recovery to complement his strong willpower to survive. However, Lance Naik Hanumanthappa’s heroic battle for life came to an end on 11 Feb 2016, when he succumbed to multiple organ failure. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was a valiant and committed soldier who laid down his life in the service of the nation. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa was given the gallantry award, ”Sena Medal” for his bravery, commitment, devotion to duty and supreme sacrifice.

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad is survived by his mother Smt Basamma, wife Smt Mahadevi and daughter Netra.