New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) The Indian Army chief, General Dalbir Singh on Tuesday paid homage to Sepoy Vijay Kumar K. who lost his life in an avalanche in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir last week.
General Singh laid a wreath on the mortal remains of Vijay and and said the army was proud of soldiers like him, who despite great difficulties in the most inhospitable conditions, defend our borders with utmost dedication, an official statement said.
The general also conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.
The soldier's body was recovered from under 12 feet of snow on Sunday. He was buried under an avalanche in the Kargil sector on the Line of Control on Thursday. Sepoy Sujit was however rescued on the first day itself, and is stable and recovering.
The army pressed avalanche rescue dogs, deep penetration radars and metal detectors to search for the missing sepoy, despite adverse weather conditions.
The deceased soldier hailed from Vallaramapuram village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, and is survived by his parents and two younger sisters.
An Army statement called him "outstanding" and "Gallant Thambi', which means brother in Tamil. He was inducted onto the post in December 2015.
The soldier, who was said to be very attached to his parents, had his mother's photograph along side when his mortal remains were recovered.
Posted in a rifle company, Sepoy Vijay ventured to serve on a difficult post located at approximately 17,500 feet that remains isolated and inaccessible for as long as six months every year during winters.
