No words can describe the "indomitable spirit" of soldier Hanumanthappa Koppad, who was found alive after being buried under snow in the Siachen for six days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.
Modi and army chief General Dalbir Singh visited the Army Research and Referral Hospital here where the soldier was flown and admitted to the ICU in after being rescued from the world's highest battlefield.
Both were given an update on the health of the soldier, who was one of 10 soldiers who got buried when tonnes of snow swept them away in the glacier.
"No words are enough to describe the endurance and indomitable spirit of Lance Naik Hanumanthappa. He is an outstanding soldier," Modi tweeted. "We are all hoping and praying for the best."
The army chief "commended the brave heart for his indomitable mental robustness and his refusal to give in to harsh elements of nature", an army statement said.
"He also conveyed best wishes on behalf of all ranks of the army for his early and complete recovery," it added.
Koppad and the others from the 19 Madras Regiment got trapped in a deadly avalanche on February 3 while manning the highest helipad in the world on the Saltoro Ridge.