Service No : 15232514F

Date of Birth : 12 Jun 1990

Birth Place : Madurai,Tamilnadu

Service: Army

Last Rank: Gunner

Unit : 56 RR/289 SATA BTY

Arm/Regt : The Regt of Artillery

Date of Martyrdom: Jan 30, 2017

Gunner Thamothara Kannan M

Gunner Thamothara Kannan M hailed from Kvellakullam village in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. He was recruited into the Regiment of Artillery, an important combat arm of Indian Army. After serving with his parent Regiment for some time he was deputed to serve with 56 Rashtriya Rifles battalion. Gunner Thamothara was among the five soldiers who had got trapped under snow after a track caved-in in Machil sector of Kupwara on January 28, 2017, following a horrific avalanche in that area.

 

 Machil sector Avalanche: 28 Jan 2017

 

There was heavy snowfall in J & K area in Jan 2017, resulting in multiple avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chandigarh based Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment had warned of avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh in the last week of Jan 2017. The first avalanche hit Gurez on 25 of January morning, in which a family of four civilians had died. The second took place around the same time in Sonmarg, chiefly a tourist area, where an army camp was located.

 

The avalanche at Sonmarg hit the Army camp of 115 Battalion at about 5:45 AM in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The avalanche struck two shelters occupied by two officers and four jawans. The soldiers got buried under tonnes of ice. A total of 15 soldiers lost their lives in the avalanches on 25 Jan 2017. After three days on 28 Jan 2017, another avalanche struck Machil sector in the north of Kashmir. Gnr Thamothara Kannan M was one of the 5 soldiers of 56 RR unit, who were part of a patrol party, and had been trapped in snow for more than four hours after the track they were traveling in caved-in in Machil sector on 28 Jan 2017. They were rescued by the specially-equipped Avalanche Rescue Teams (ARTs) in a day-long operation. However, they could not be airlifted for medical treatment for two days as no helicopter sorties could take place due to inclement weather, foggy conditions and persistent snowfall. The Army aviation pilots made several attempts to land and evacuate the five soldiers for specialized treatment.

 

Machil, on the LoC in north Kashmir, had received snowfall as high as six feet at some places, blocking its road link with Srinagar, 160km away. The soldiers were in critical condition when they were rescued and were treated by the doctors in Machil. However the soldiers’ condition continued to deteriorate, and by the time they were airlifted to Srinagar army base hospital on 30 Jan 17, it was too late for the doctors to save the lives of the five brave hearts. Besides Gnr Thamothara Kannan the other valiant soldiers included Naik Mane Ramchandra Shamrao, Signalman Parmar Deva Haza, Sepoy Dhavale Ganesh Kisan and Sepoy Balaji Bhagwanrao Ambore. Gnr Thamothara Kannan was a brave and committed soldier who laid down his life in the service of the nation.

 

Gunner Thamothara Kannan is survived by  his mother Smt Rani M.

  • Gunner Thamothara Kannan M
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Source
  • https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170131/jsp/nation/story_133265.jsp#.WL6ZgfmGPIV
  • http://www.newsnation.in/photos/news/in-pics-remembering-army-personnel-martyred-in-sonamarg-and-gurez-avalanches-1964/slide1#ph-196412
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Gurez_sector_avalanche
  • http://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/310117/5-soldiers-rescued-from-snow-cave-in-die.html
  • http://indianexpress.com/article/india/gujarat-two-soldiers-from-state-killed-in-kashmir-avalanche-cremated/
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4 Comments

  • Maj-General Pushpendra Singh

    2017at7:11 pm Reply

    You are immortal having sacrificed your life for Bharat Ma.

    • Udhaayakumar K.R

      2021at3:53 pm

      BIG Salute to you Gunner Thamothara Kannan because of your service and sacrifices we citizens of India live safe and sound. Also would like to say our sincere thanks to all the Army members, who served, in service and who are going to serve. Special thanks to the family. should be very proud of his service and will keep praying for them.

  • Philomina

    2017at12:12 pm Reply

    Every Indian is proud of you. My salute to you

  • Major S A Victor

    2017at12:17 pm Reply

    I am proud of your brave mother and you, hope your sacrifice inspires the present generation

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