Remember and Never Forget: Major Padmanabhan and Major Sunil Ganapathy

Major Padmanabhan and Major Sunil Ganapathy were assigned the task of carrying out a rescue mission to evacuate a sick soldier, E Narsaih, in eastern Ladakh's Skarchoo on August 15, 2008.

Vipin Vijayan

New Delhi, First Published Aug 15, 2022, 7:00 AM IST | Last Updated Aug 15, 2022, 7:00 AM IST

Major Padmanabhan KE and Major Sunil Ganapathy of the Army Aviation Squadron were killed in Tanglang La in 2008 after their helicopter lost contact with the air traffic control while returning to Chandigarh in bad weather.

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Major Padmanabhan and Major Sunil Ganapathy were tasked with carrying out a rescue mission to evacuate a sick soldier, E Narsaih, in eastern Ladakh's Skarchoo on August 15, 2008.

While returning, their helicopter lost contact with the air traffic control and crashed. The wreckage was found near a mountain pass in eastern Ladakh.

It should be mentioned that the temperatures in the Ladakh region range from minus 3 degrees to 30 degrees Celsius in summer and minus 20 to 15 degrees Celsius in the winter. To note, Major Sunil Ganapathy had actually been transferred to Andhra Pradesh, but he met a tragic end before he could leave for the southern state.

The two officers were awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) posthumously.

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