BORDURIA, May 27: The memorial to Ashok Chakra Havildar Hangpan Dada here in Tirap district was inaugurated by 2 Mountain Division GOC Major General Gajinder Singh on Saturday.
Borduria is the native village of the fallen soldier.
Havildar Dada was martyred while combating terrorists in the Shamshabari ranges in Naugam in Jammu & Kashmir on 27 May, 2016. He succeeded in killing three terrorists and seriously injuring a fourth before laying down his life at 12,500 feet.
Dada was honoured posthumously with the highest gallantry award, the Ashok Chakra, during the Republic Day celebration last year. His widow Chasen Lowang received the country’s highest peacetime military decoration from President Pranab Mukherjee at Rajpath.
Dada was also honoured with the state government’s highest civilian award, the Arunachal Ratna, during the statehood day celebration this year.
Last year, during the platinum jubilee ceremony of the Assam Regimental Centre in Shillong, the centre’s administrative block was renamed after the brave soldier.
The state government has also renamed the football and volleyball tournaments for CM’s Trophy as Hangpan Dada Memorial Trophy.
Chief of Borduria village, Wanglin Lowangdong exhorted the youths of Tirap to draw inspiration from Havildar Dada and join the Indian Army to serve the nation.
Lowangdong appealed to the district administration to appoint a caretaker for the upkeep of the memorial. He also appealed to the people of Borduria to extend all possible help to Dada’s family and children.
Deputy Commissioner PN Thungon assured all possible help from the district administration to the family members of Havildar Dada. The DC instructed the PWD to prepare an estimate for construction of a protection wall around the memorial.
Former minister L Wanglat and IPR DD Denhang Bosai also spoke on the occasion and paid floral tributes to Dada.
Among others, MLAs Tirong Aboh and Wanglam Sawin, Dada’s wife Chasen Lowang Dada, officers of the Indian Army, the CRPF and the state police, GBs, chiefs of Nocte villages, former army men, church leaders, and people from different corners of the state attended the programme. (DIPRO)
