Thursday, July 25, 2013
Military welfare officer Lieutenant Ame Naulutegu comforts Sonam and Edwin Chandra during the funeral of their father, Lance-Cpl Umesh Chandra, who died in Sinai last week. Beside them is their grandmother Bida Wati. Picture: JONE LUVENITOGA
A FULL military funeral was accorded yesterday to a soldier who collapsed and died while on a peacekeeping mission in Sinai.
The last post was sounded and the soldier's colleagues gave an 11 gun salute to bid him the final farewell.
Lance Corporal Umesh Chandra, 54, left for Sinai in May and he is reported to have collapsed and died last Tuesday.
His family members, friends, colleagues and senior military officers were present as he was buried at midday yesterday.
His younger brother Mukesh Chand said the soldier's death was a sad loss for the family and the military.
"Umesh was a Lance Corporal in the Fiji military and he served the country and the United Nations for more than 30 years," he said.
Mr Chand said his elder brother served on peacekeeping missions in East Timor, Lebanon, Iraq and Sinai.
Following the burial, the military presented the Fiji flag that was draped around Lance-Cpl Chandra's coffin and medals to his daughter Sonam Chandra.
Lance-Cpl Chandra is survived by his wife, daughter Sonam and two sons, Nitin and Edwin Chandra, who stood by their father's coffin until it was put into the grave.
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