As Havildar Hangpan Dada’s widow stood in front of the President to accept the Ashok Chakra for her husband’s act of valor and bravery in the face of adversity, one couldn’t help but notice that he had left behind two beautiful children. Dada’s supreme sacrifice had left a family in bereavement and yet all that his six-year-old son wanted to say was that he too, like his father, wants to be an army officer.

On May 26, 2016, Dada, as Sabu post commander of 35 Rashtriya Rifles (RR), received orders from his commanding officer to block four infiltrators at 12,500 feet in the Shamshabri Ranges in Naugam. Along with his team, the 37-year-old havildar engaged the infiltrators in a fierce gunfight. He charged at the terrorists and shot two of them on the spot. The other two fled and hid behind some boulders.

Spotting the two terrorists who had hidden behind boulders, Havildar Hangpan Dada lunged at one. The two were locked in hand-to hand combat, slipping and sliding down the hill, till Dada finally neutralised his opponent.

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However, the fourth terrorist then sprayed bullets into him. Ignoring his grievous wounds, Dada pinned down the shooter and severely injured him. The terrorist was eventually killed but Dada too died of his injuries. "Dada killed three terrorists in the operation single-handedly and his action led to elimination of the fourth terrorist," the award citation said.

Dada’s buddy Lance Havildar Vareshang of Sabu Post recalls how he motivated the team to find the terrorists. “It was turning dark but Dada kept motivating us to look for the terrorists. 'We have to hunt them down', he told us."

But now that Dada is no more, laying his life for the ultimate sacrifice, his six-year-old son wishes to step in his father’s shoes. "I want to be an Army officer," Senwang, Dada’s six-year-old son says.

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What Senwang and his sister will remember now is the bravery with which their father fought and helped gun down three terrorists. A soldier’s son wishes to follow his father’s footsteps and for that we are forever in debt of this heroic family.

*With inputs from TNN.