Students pray near a sand sculpture of Hanumanthappa at Puri. AFP

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 10

The condition of Siachen survivor Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad has deteriorated over the past one day and it remains “very critical”, the Army has said.Hanumanthappa of the 19 Madras Regiment was rescued alive six days after being buried under tonnes of ice following an avalanche on the Siachen Glacier on February 3. His condition was reviewed by a team of the Army Hospital (R&R) comprising critical care specialists, Head of the Dept of Medicine, nephrologists, neurologists and a panel of experts from AIIMS, New Delhi.An Army statement said, “He continues to remain extremely critical with evidence of oxygen deprivation to the brain on CT scan. There is evidence of pneumonia in both lungs.”“The rescued jawan has multi-organ dysfunction and that continues…His condition has deteriorated despite aggressive therapy and supportive care,” it added.Hanumanthappa remained ventilator-dependent since his arrival in the hospital yesterday, it said. The medical team at the R&R Hospital was monitoring his condition regularly and he was being treated with the best expertise and resources available in the world, the Army said.Hailing Hanumanthappa’s “endurance and will power”, Congress president Sonia Gandhi wished for his speedy recovery. 

Woman ready to donate kidney for Siachen soldier