Bhubaneswar: Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik among other dignitaries Thursday offered floral tributes to martyred Odia soldiers Chandrakant Pradhan and Nanduram Soren after their bodies reached Bhubaneswar airport in a special aircraft.
Among others, senior defence personnel, police personnel, administrative officials and leaders cutting across party lines were present at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) to honour the fallen heroes. Besides, hundreds of denizens could be seen lined up near the airport so honour them while they are taken to their respective villages.
While Chandrakanta Pradhan belongs to Biarpanga village in Kandhamal district, Nanduram Soren hails from Rairangpur area in Mayurbhanj district.
Nanduram Soren had joined the 16 Bihar regiment in 1997, while Pradhan joined as a sepoy with the same regiment six years back.
Soren’s elder brother Daman Majhi said he got the message from Mahendranath Mahanta, a retired Subedar, who had served the regiment earlier while Pradhan’s family was informed about the tragedy by an army official over phone.
It may be mentioned here that both were killed Monday night in the violent clashes with Chinese forces in Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
As many as 20 Indian Army soldiers including an officer of Colonel rank died in the incident that is said to be the biggest single time loss of the Army after 1999 Kargil war and the bloodiest on Indo-China border after 1967 Nathu la and Cho la skirmishes.