A Hyderabadi son's final journey to Kargil. Major Padmaphani Acharya, 31, hailing from Hastinapur on the city's outskirts, was killed on Monday in the Kargil operations. He was hit by enemy shelling.

His family was informed about his death on Tuesday. Local residents took out a rally and raised slogans hailing his martyrdom. Acharya was born on June 21, 1968 and graduated from Osmania University.

Later, he joined the Indian Army in 1993. After completion of training at Madras, he was commissioned into the Rajputana Rifles. He was posted in Assam and Delhi before being sent to Kashmir.

He was married to Charulatha in 1996 and the couple was expecting their first child. Padmaphani's father Jagannatham, a retired Indian Air Force officer, took the news about his son's death with pride.

He said his second son, Captain Padma Sambhav Acharya, is also fighting in Kargil. "I am prepared to sacrifice my other son also for the sake of our motherland," the proud father said.

Nation's second highest wartime gallentry award MAHA VIR CHAKRA was awarded to Major Padmaphani Acharya on 15th August 1999.