Mangaluru: “Soldiers, when committed to a task, can’t compromise. It’s unrelenting devotion to the standards of duty and courage, absolute loyalty to others, not letting the task go until it’s been done” – John Keegan.
The soldiers who lose their lives in defence of our nation and our nation’s values are and should be our heroes. It is not easy to encounter danger when you have a family back home waiting eagerly for you for your broad shoulders and handsome presence and also your meager earnings that gives them a life worth living. We don’t even think of it in these times. But some do and lose their lives. They pass from this earth unsung, despite doing their duty with dedication, despite saving lives of their buddies on the field, and despite preventing an attack on us ordinary citizens. Its time to honour them, those from our city of Mangalore and support their families in their absence. Its the least we can do.
This is what Team Black and White has tried to do. On August 20th, the Town Hall at Mangalore will witness the gratitude of the city at an event where late Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad will be honoured in the presence of his family. Late Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad, an Indian soldier with the 19th battalion of the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army, survived the massive avalanche and was found alive during post-disaster avalanche rescue operations by the Indian Army, six days after the disaster. He was rescued from 35 feet beneath the snow in -45 °C temperatures, six days after an avalanche hit an Indian Army post in Siachen, at an altitude of 19,600 feet. His health was critical, but news of his survival gave family members a chance to celebrate. Nine other personnel at the post, including a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of Madras Regiment, died in the incident. His family’s and the country’s celebration was short-lived as he eventually died at the military Hospital in New Delhi due to multiple organ failure. Hanumanthappa died on 11 February 2016 at 11:45 hrs.
“No soldier gives his life. That’s not the way it works. Most soldiers who make a conscious decision to place themselves in harm’s way do it to protect their buddies. They do it because of the bonds of friendship – and it goes so much deeper than friendship”. So said Eric Massa
Six other soldiers will be honoured similarly at the event – Lance Naik Vishwambara H.P, Havildar Chandrashekar, Havildar Parameshawara K., Lance Havildar Girish Kumar, Subedhar Eknatha Shetty
Events such as these are a must and our duty – to remind us of the sacrifices that they made for us – So that we may be safe, we may be comfortable, we may enjoy life the way we do. We salute our soldiers.
As we do that, it is Team Black and White that is raising the bar for such events in Mangalore, and we do hope many more meaningful events will take place in the future.
Mangaluru MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLA J R Lobo, MLC Ganesh Karnik and Nitte Vice Chancellor Vinay Hegde are likley to grace the event.
