PATHANAMTHITTA: After fighting a fierce battle with cancer, Captain Thomas Philipose, 79, the only Keralite alive to be bestowed with the country’s second highest gallantry award, Maha Vir Chakra, succumbed to the disease on Friday.
Thomas, who served the Army for 30 years, was bestowed with the Maha Vir Chakra by the then President V V Giri in 1972, for his heroic deeds in the Basantar sector of Punjab during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mourned the death of the army veteran.