New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra to Havildar Hangpan Dada, who was killed near in Jammu and Kashmir in May last year while fighting terrorists on 68th Republic day at Rajpath.
Dada’s sobbing widow Chasen Lowang received from the President the highest peacetime military award given for awarded for valour, courageous action and self-sacrifice.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan- the guest of honour and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, watched in silence as Mukherjee saluted the courage of the dead soldier of Assam Regiment.
Dada was killed on the night of May 26 after he first fought three terrorists in close combat in Naugam sector.
He badly injured the fourth, who therafter fatally wounded him with a gun. The wounded soldier pinned down the fourth too and thus foiled an infiltration attempt from Pakistan.
IANS