Homage paid to Havildar Elumalai who died in the Siachen Glacier avalanche

Chennai: Amidst a pall of gloom, the mortal remains of Havildar Elumalai M of Adukumparai village of Vellore District was flown in at the Coast Guard Air Station on Monday night. He had died in the avalanche at Siachen Glacier Area.

Officials of the Indian Coast Guard, Eastern Region, fellow members of ICG and State government representatives, TKM Chinnaiya & P Valarmathi, laid wreaths and paid homage at the Coast Guard Air station in Meenambakkam, Chennai.

Elumalai, a highly intelligent Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) had joined 19th Battalion The Madras Regiment in October 1996 and ever since became an inseparable part of the battalion.

Recalling the brave heart one of his fellow mates had described Elumalai as someone who had always displayed high degree of courage and had conducted several successful small team operations against terrorists in both Jammu & Kashmir and North-East during his nine years of field service. Because of his ability to motivate his juniors and leading them from front the NCO was selected to be part of Sonam Post which required men with nerves of steel and high level of physical fitness.

Havildar Elumalai was a charismatic leader and had attained instructor grading in Weapon Course at Infantry School, Mhow and was posted as Instructor at The Madras Regimental Centre, Wellington where he trained several recruits and his work was praised by his superiors. He was also part of the Unit Training Team prior to induction of the unit to Siachen Glacier.