ChinmayC Blog

This is unthinkable, even unpardonable. That the helicopter carrying the topmost military officer of India—the first ever Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) next only to the Supreme Commander of the India Army, the President of India—should crash in spite of the highest security being attached to the trip and the fool-proof technical checks being obviously carried out by the best of pilots before the trip. But it has happened still—a monumental national tragedy. CDS General Bipin Rawat, one of the bravest and the most decorated military officers of the country, had left his Delhi residence around 9 this morning and boarded a special Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft for Sulur Air Base near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu along with his wife and seven others including senior military officers and security commandos. Arriving at Sulur around 11.30 AM he boarded a Mi-17V5 helicopter, supposedly the most advanced one being manufactured and delivered to India between 2013-16 by the Republic of Russia, wit...

A billion prayers could not save him. Better than the best medical efforts ensured by the Indian Prime Minister could not save him. The miracle that saved him finally could not save him for telling his story of ultimate human endurance, indomitable willpower and exemplary courage. Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad who was buried under 25 feet of snow and ice for 6 days in Siachen Glacier and rescued alive passed away today in an army hospital in New Delhi where he was admitted on 9 th February, 2016 after being flown in an air ambulance from the Siachen heights. His medical bulletins over the last two days narrated his continuous deterioration with multi-organ dysfunction, lack of oxygen in the brain, blood clotting in his body not responding to maximum possible dosage of medicines and coma. He was on maximal life support system and yet he could not be revived. Today morning he slipped into a deeper coma and passed away shortly after. The whole of India is under a deep sense of loss, s...

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad, a soldier of the Indian Army, along with 9 of his colleagues was buried under 25 feet of snow on Wednesday, the 3 rd of February 2016 when an avalanche swept away their post in Siachen Glacier. Within days the soldiers were presumed dead and tributes offered. However, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force carried on with their rescue operations in extremely difficult conditions. Today, miraculously, Hanumanthappa was found alive—with weak pulse and disoriented—and was flown immediately to an Army hospital in New Delhi in an air ambulance. His condition is said to be extremely critical and next 24 to 48 hours will be crucial. The news of this miracle spread like wild fire and the whole nation has joined in prayers for the brave soldier’s final recovery. Siachen Glacier is called the highest battleground. Situated in the eastern Karakoram Range in the Himalayas this is one of the disputed territories between India and Pakistan near the Line of Contr...