Hangpan Dada

Havildar Hangpan Dada AC (2 October 1979 – 26 May 2016) was a soldier in the Assam Regiment of the Indian Army. He was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime military decoration in August 2016.[1]

Havildar

Hangpan Dada

AC
Born(1979-10-02)2 October 1979
Borduria, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Died26 May 2016(2016-05-26) (aged 36)
Naugam, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Army
Years of service1997–2016
Rank Havildar
Service number13622536N
UnitAssam Regiment
Awards Ashok Chakra

Early life

Dada was born in Borduria village, Tirap district, Arunanchal Pradesh, India.[2] Dada saved his childhood friend Somhang Lamra from drowning in a river.[3]

Military service

Dada joined the 3rd battalion of the Parachute Regiment on 28 October 1997. In 2005, he was transferred to the Assam Regimental Centre, and on 24 January 2008, he joined the 4th battalion, Assam Regiment.[2] He then requested a transfer to a Rashtriya Rifles battalion on operations in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir. He was posted to 35 Rashtriya Rifles in May 2016, the unit with which he was serving when he was martyred.

Ashok Chakra
Hangpan Dada's wife receives the Ashok Chakra from president Pranab Mukherjee on 26 January 2017.

On the night of 26 May 2016, Dada, as Sabu Post Commander of 35 Rashtriya Rifles, while establishing a stop along with his section at 12,500 feet, led a charge on hiding terrorists in the Shamshabari Ranges in Naugam, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the neutralisation of four heavily armed terrorists.[2] He along with his team spotted the movement of terrorists in the area and engaged them in a fierce encounter that went on for over 24 hours. He charged at the spot where terrorists were and killed two terrorists on the spot and later the third one after a hand-to-hand scuffle as they slid down the hill towards the Line of Control. Dada sustained a sudden burst of automatic fire from the hiding fourth terrorist, receiving a gun shot wound. He continued to pin down the fourth terrorist and later succumbed to his injuries received before wounding the terrorist.[2]

Dada's action of eliminating three terrorists in an engagement at close quarters and injuring a fourth one, in disregard to his personal safety, foiled the infiltration bid and ensured the safety of his men. He was honoured posthumously, with the government announcing the highest gallantry award during peacetime operations, the Ashok Chakra, on the eve of the Republic Day in 2017.[1]

Personal life

Dada was the youngest among the 3 brothers. His eldest brother's name is Laphang Dada and the middle brother is Nokron Dada. He was married to Chasen Lowang Dada on 28 October 2005. They had 2 children: a daughter named Roankhin Dada in 2007 and a son named Senwang Dada in 2010. Dada was known to be a simple church going person who loved to spend time with his family whenever he is home on leave.[4]

Memorial

To remember his service, the Assam Regimental Centre (ARC) named its main office block in its headquarters after Hangpan Dada. The plaque was inaugurated by Dada's wife.[5] Pema Khandu, the then chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh renamed the annual football and volleyball (men and women) tournaments for Chief Minister's Trophy as Hangpan Dada Memorial Trophy.[6]

The revamped strategic bridge over River Subansiri at Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district has been named after martyr Hangpan Dada. On 20 April 2020, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, inaugurated the bridge through video conferencing.[7]

Awards
Ashok Chakra
Special Service Medal
High Altitude Service Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal
9 Years Long Service Medal

References
  1. "Havildar Hangpan Dada honoured with Ashok Chakra posthumously". The Indian Express. Press Trust of India. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  2. Arun Sharma (14 August 2016). "Havildar Hangpan Dada awarded Ashok Chakra posthumously". The Indian Express. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
  3. "Tribute: Havildar Hangpan Dada receives Ashok Chakra posthumously, Indian Army's video tells a greater story". india.com. 27 January 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  4. Manjeet Singh Negi. "Ashok Chakra 2016: How Havildar Hangpan Dada single-handedly took out 3 terrorists, made supreme sacrifice". India Today. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  5. "Office named after Hangpan Dada". nagalandpost.com. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  6. "CM's Trophy renamed as Hangpan Dada Memorial Trophy". arunachaltimes.in. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  7. Singh, Bikash (20 April 2020). "Arunachal CM inaugurates Hangpan Dada Bridge over River Subansiri through video conferencing". The Economic Times. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
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