The prayers of the millions could not save the real life hero from facing the death.  
 
Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, left his last breath today, after a vigorous fight with death, for over a week.

Announcing the sad news, Army officials said, “Really sorry to inform everyone that LNk Hanumanthappa is no more. He breathed his last breath at 11:45 a.m. today.”

On Tuesday morning, Koppad was admitted at the hospital and was on a ventilator since then. Due to multiple organ failure, his condition steadily deteriorated.

The Siachen soldier was rescued alive on Monday, after being buried under 35 feet snow, for six days. He was captivated in an Air Force aircraft.

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad’s background

Koppad belongs to a farming family in Betadur village, Kundagol taluk, Dharwad district, Karnataka. He is survived by his wife Mahadevi (Jayashri) and two-year-old daughter Netra. In the recent years, six men from his agrarian village joined the army. 

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa is the youngest in the family. He used to walk 6 km a day, to attend the high school at Aralikatti village.

Koppad, who always aspired to join army, tried vigorously even after he was rejected thrice in the army recruitment rallies at Belagavi, Dharwad and Gadag. That struggle to join the army made him get selected into the 19 Madras Regiment, 14 years ago.  

His earnings supported him in building a house on a government-allotted site in the village.

Hanumanthappa’s elder brother, Govindappa said that, his brother inquired about everyone, just a day before the avalanche.

On the other side, nine other soldiers’ dead bodies, which have been recovered from the site, are waiting to be the airlifted from Siachen. Officials said bad weather held up their movement.

By Phani Ch