Madikeri: The families of the ten soldiers are battling to overcome the grief of losing their beloved ones in the deadly avalanche that occurred at the Siachen glaciers, early this month. However, here is a family in Kodagu, which has been trying to come to terms with the loss that they faced 29 years ago.
It was in one such avalanches, at the very same Siachen that a brave son of Kodagu had died and over the last 29 years, his body has not yet been traced.

Palekanda Major Atul Devaiah from Madikeri is the brave soldier.

Atul is the second son of Palekanda M Devaiah a resident of Ranipete. He was selected to Maratha regiment through Indian Military Academy in 1975. Atul along with 13 other soldiers died in the deadly avalanche in 1987.

The efforts put in by the army to dig out bodies trapped in the icy grave had gone in vain.

Atul had completed his studies at Bhuvanendra College in Karkala and St Joseph College Bengaluru. He was also a hockey player. He married Shaila, daughter of Chinnappa from Nellamakkada in Ammathi.

The family, even to this day is living with the hope that some day, they would at least get to see the glimpses of his mortal remains.