Sepoy Sunil Suryawanshi should have arrived in his village on February 16 for house-warming ceremonies and the first birthday of his daughter. 

Suryawanshi, one of the nine soldiers buried in an avalanche in Siachin, instead arrived in a coffin. His last rites were performed with full military honours on Tuesday in Satara district. 

Born in Maskarwadi in Satara district of western Maharashtra, Suryawanshi, 24, completed his education from Dahiwadi College and enrolled in the armed services. He was posted since September 30, 2010. 

Suryavanshi spoke to his wife Rekha just days before the tragedy.

 He had plans to visit home for the house-warming of his new house and wanted to be with his daughter Tanvi’s first birthday on February 19. 

"It is sad...we have lost a boy," said Jallinder Kharat, a retired soldier from the village, who had also served at Siachen. 

On Monday, a week after the body was airlifted, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at Pune’s National War Memorial. 

Suryawanshi completed his basic training from Army Medical Corps Centre and College on April 9, 2011, and got his first posting at Command Hospital, Eastern Command. 

Farewell to Kerala martyrThe tiny village of Munroethuruthu in Kollam district on Tuesday bid a tearful farewell to Lance Naik Sudheesh B who died – along with nine others – in an avalanche in Siachen, reports DHNS from Thiruvananthapuram. The mortal remains of Sudheesh (29) were cremated with military honours in the presence of hundreds who turned up at his native village.