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A year after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Arunachal Pradesh remembers one of them: Tage Hailyang, the Indian Air Force non-commissioned officer who died while trying to help others escape in the attack.
A newly constructed monument in honor of the 26-year-old air warrior now stands in Tajang village in Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. The village, located in the forested hills of one of India’s most remote regions, gathered to remember the young soldier whose death shocked the northeast and the country.
On April 22, 2025, gunmen opened fire on tourists near Baisaran Meadows in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The attack occurred in a picturesque area often referred to as “mini-Switzerland.” The attack killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Among them was Corporal Tage Hailyang, who was stationed at the Indian Air Force base in Srinagar. He was traveling to Pahalgam with his wife on a short vacation when the attack took place. He was killed in the ambush, but his wife survived.
What made his death deeply emotional for the people of Arunachal Pradesh was the account of his final moments. Although Hailyang had a chance to escape, he reportedly stayed behind to help civilians reach safety before he was shot dead by the terrorists.
The Indian Air Force later said that “all air warriors of the Indian Air Force mourn the loss of Corporal Hailyang in the Pahalgam terrorist attack” and expressed condolences to his family.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu had also paid tribute to the airman after the attack. He said, “While he was visiting Pahalgam with his wife, Hailyang’s life was cruelly taken away in a senseless act of terror. He served the nation with courage and honor and his untimely death is a great loss not only to his family but to the entire country. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, especially his wife, who survived this terrible incident.”
When Hailyang’s remains reached the village of Tajang last year, thousands gathered to pay their respects. Prime Minister Khandu, ministers, lawmakers and senior officials attended the funeral. The state government announced financial assistance of ₹50 lakh to the family and promised a government job to a family member.
A year later, the family says the pain remains.
In an exclusive conversation with the Sunday Guardian, Hailyang’s brother Tage Take spoke about the family’s struggle following his death.
“It’s been a year,” he said. “The condition of the house is not that good. We have other family members at home. We are working hard to survive. And we are trying to think about him as best we can.”
He added: “Today we have erected a monument in his name to remember him forever.”
The memorial in Tajang has now become a place where local residents gather to pay tribute to the fallen airman.
Across the country, the first anniversary of the Pahalgam attack was marked with tributes to the victims. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “I remember the innocent people who lost their lives in the horrific Pahalgam terror attack on this day last year. They will never be forgotten.”
Back in the village of Tajang, the memory of Corporal Tage Hailyang lives on; not only through the monument erected in his name, but also through the words of his family and the sacrifice he made in his final moments.
