‘People should know why he died’: Family of IAF man from Arunachal prepares memorial ahead of Pahalgam anniversary

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Written by: Sukrita Baruah3 min readUpdated: Apr 20, 2026 09:59 AM IST Ahead of the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, the family of IAF Corporal Tage Hailyang is preparing a memorial in Arunachal Pradesh to honour his life and sacrifice. Make us preferred source on Google Whatsapp twitter Facebook Reddit PRINT In the days leading up to the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the family of IAF Corporal Tage Hailyang has been putting the finishing touches on a memorial to him that they plan to inaugurate on that date. “We want to keep his memory alive, and the world should know that there was such a person, Tage Hailyang, who lost his life in this way.  We want people to know why he died, so we have prepared a write-up which will be part of the memorial,” said his elder brother Tage Taka, who was overseeing the work at the memorial while speaking to The Indian Express. The centrepiece of the memorial, which is located near their village of Tajang in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Subansiri district, is a bronze statue of Tage Hailyang, who was 30 years old at the time of death. He was a Corporal in the Indian Air Force’s Srinagar base and had joined the force in 2017. He married Charo Kamhua just four months before the attack and had just been transferred to Assam. He was on a holiday with her in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam before joining the Air Force base at Dibrugarh when terrorists opened fire at tourists. Twent-six people, including 25 tourists and a local man, were killed in the attack that took place on April 22, 2025. Tage Taka said that the grieving Charo Kamhua now lives in her parental home at Bordumsa in Changlang district, and that over time, his family’s communications with her have dried up. Tage Hailyang was one of several siblings, who Tage Taka now says are engaged in trying to help their mourning elderly parents handle the loss. “We worry about them. I am also a parent; I understand the kind of pain they have been through. Our father is still able to bear it, even though the sadness within him is still visible to us, but seeing our mother this way is very difficult. Even though it’s going to be a year, her wounds still seem alive,” he said. Another brother of theirs, who is in the armed forces, Tage Mali, who serves in the Army, is also back in town now to help the family prepare for the memorial function. “We are trying to give our parents some himmat (courage) to view what happened as a huge tragedy but to focus on honouring the person that he was,” said Taka. Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram