Bana, the then Naib Subadar of 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), was conferred with the country's highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra for displaying exemplary gallantry and valour in the battle of Siachen in 1987.
Sitting in his home watching Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad being pulled out alive from the huge ice blocks at Siachen, Honorary Captain (retired) Bana Singh, the man who won Saichen glacier for India in 1987, feels the grueling training and perseverance is keeping the soldiers going on the world highest and difficult battlefield.
"It is indeed a miracle that a soldier has been pulled out alive from a place which is extremely difficult and hostile. Soldiers deployed on Siachen are being trained in every aspect before they are sent on the assignments: How they should move and how to save themselves from avalanches and emergency situations. The training period extends to one and half month before soldiers are sent to the glacier", Bana told dna.
Bana, the then Naib Subadar of 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), was conferred with the country's highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra for displaying exemplary gallantry and valour in the battle of Siachen in 1987.
Pakistani army suffered major defeat in that year when Indian army led by Bana Singh captured their "Quaid" post located at 21,153 feet which was later renamed 'Bana' post. Bana Singh, who lives a post retirement life in small village of RS Pora in Jammu, was also conferred with honorary captain rank before his retirement.
"It seems the incident has occurred at the area which has not witnessed avalanches so far. Normally the soldiers tend to save themselves in such a situation. During this process some small cavity or hole is created which helps a trapped soldier in respiration. I feel in this situation the miracle soldier might have got some lifeline for respiration. Otherwise it is next to impossible to survive in such conditions," said Bana.
Situated at 20,000 feet, the glacier has 122 kilometre border with Pakistan which is called actual ground position line (AGPL). With a length of about 72-km, the Siachen glacier is known as world highest battlefield, India and Pakistan have fought bloody wars in 1984 and 1987.
However, for the last 12 years, the 150 kilometer Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in Siachen, is witnessing calm following the border cease-fire in 2003. Before that the AGPL was a regular battlefield with both armies exchanging artillery and small arms fire to pin each other down. More than 140 Pakistani soldiers were killed when an avalanche swept away their camp in Gayari sector of Siachen in 2012.
The Siachen glacier is one of the contentious issues between India and Pakistan with both countries paying a heavy cost for maintaining and guarding the icy peaks in harsh conditions where temperatures plummet to minus 50 degrees.
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