Avinash Azad
Though it is not a good news, but after a gap of 38 years that too on the occasion, when nation is celebrating 76 independence day, family of a braveheart of Indian Army, who attained martyrdom during an avalanche, in Siachen Glacier, got an opportunity to pay their last, as his mortal remains recovered on Monday by a patrol conducted by a unit of Raj Rif.
“Lance Naik, (Late) Chandershekhar Singh was identified with the help of the identification disk bearing his Army number which was entangled along with the mortal remains. He went missing on May 29, 1984, during the early days of Op Meghdoot, a patrol party of 20 soldiers of 19 Kumaon led by 2/Lt Pradeep Singh set out towards Shankar Top”, a defence spokesperson said.
“Through the heavy snowfall, icy-cold weather and rarefied atmosphere they marched on with a great sense of duty and purpose. Unfortunately, the patrol party was struck by an avalanche and all 20 of the patrol party were lost to the disaster”, the spokesperson said, adding that through a search operation, 12 of the 20 bodies were recovered but the mortal remains of the rest including Chandrashekhar Singh continued to be a part of the icy glacier.
“The family of Chandrashekhar Singh which includes his wife and two young daughters never even had the chance to see his body and bid him a braveheart’s farewell”, he said.
“But as fate would have it, 38 years later a daring patrol conducted by a unit of Raj Rif led by Major Naveen through the same treacherous terrain towards Shankar top came across a shelter which seemingly had been destroyed by an avalanche. As they searched the surrounding area, they stumbled upon the mortal remains and managed to secure army disc and torn clothes. It was a moment of extreme elation as they recovered the disc from the ruins of the shelter”, he further said, adding that just as the waves of happiness settled in, these were replaced by a deep sense of sorrow as the realisation struck that he was one of the bravehearts i.e a sentinel of the Siachen Glacier. “The sacrifice made by this soldier shows the spirit of the Indian army which is ‘service before self’. His devotion to duty is manifested as even though the terrain is unforgivable, the climate ghastly he still kept advancing and eventually made the supreme sacrifice. This discovery augmented the sense of duty of every soldier who is currently serving in the Siachen glacier. After a long wait of 38 years, the family of Chandrashekhar Singh was finally able to give him the last rites that he deserved and gained a closure”, he said, added that the sacrifice made by him and his family would never be forgotten by the nation.
