As India embarks upon the 76th year of independence, the family of a soldier who had gone missing 38 years ago got a chance to pay proper and final homage to him. After 38 years of taking control of the Siachen Glacier in Ladakh, which is now a Union Territory, the mortal remains of Lance Naik Chandrashekhar have been found. In 1984, he was reported missing in the region of the Siachen Glacier.

The soldier was a part of 1984 Operation Meghdoot in Siachen and his skeletal remains were found in an old shelter in the glacial at a height of over 16,000 feet on this August 13.

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Lance Naik Chandra Shekhar, who had joined the Kumaon regiment in 1971, went missing with four others following an avalanche. Officials stated that none of the bodies was found. Lance Naik’s regiment was a part of India’s pre-emptive action to prevent the taking over of the control of the Siachen glacier by Pakistan in 1984 as a part of the Meghdoot Operation.

Shanti Devi, Lance Naik’s wife, said that she got to know about the recovery of her husband’s remains by the Army’s 19 Kumaon Regiment. She was quite taken aback by the news. She recounted that she had to go through numerous hardships while raising her children. The remains are to be handed over to Lance Naik’s family in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. His family includes his wife and two daughters. His wife was 28 and their daughters were very young at that time.

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Udhampur-based Defence PRO Lt. Col Abhinav identified him as Lance Naik. Lt. Col Abhinav was also a part of the 20-member Army patrol that was hit by the avalanche on 29 May, 1984. The identification was possible due to an army disc and torn clothes, according to the PRO.