Is GoAP waiting for Mera Naam Joker

to recognise researcher Tapir Darang?

Stressing on historical importance of these discoveries, Darang exhorted the state Govt to take urgent steps to preserve these wreckages. “These crash sites are part of our forgotten history. They should be protected and properly preserved. These places can become important historical landmarks to lure adventure tourists and adventures In future,” he reasoned.

These discoveries have given fresh momentum to the efforts of independent researchers and historians working to document WW-II aerial warfare and supply routes in NE India. The region played a vital role in the Allied operations in the China–Burma–India (CBI) Theatre.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pema Khandu have been advocating to promote vast potential of state’s tourism sector, the avoidable restrictions imposed by the special bureau and intelligence bureau officials on tourists, particularly foreigners, have been detracting tourists as many have complained me, he said.

In fact, researchers like Darang should be authorised by Tourism Department as ‘Arunachal Ambassador’ in greater interest of the state. When MIA Recoveries, Inc, PO Box 12871 Prescott, AZ 86304-2871 USA has recognized his voluntary service, why the GoAP should delay in recognizing him?

Will GoAP create another Mera Naam Joker (1970), a major commercial flop in India on its release but attained legendary, cult status after finding massive success in the Soviet Union. The film sold over 73 million tickets in the USSR, with its three parts often released separately. This success was largely due to Raj Kapoor’s immense popularity there.

By Pradeep Kumar

ITANAGAR, Jan 24: It is a matter of sheer coincidence that a wreckage of World War-II (WW-II) aircraft was found in Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border as Pangsau Pass International Festival-2026 concluded with a Vintage Willys Jeep Rally from Namsai to Pangsu Pass via the historic Old Ledo Road on January 22.

Famous Tapir Darang, founder of Abor Country Camps on the banks of the mighty Siang River in centurion town of Pasighat,has once again stumbled upon wreckage of WW-II aircraft, uncovering a page from the hidden history during his 15-year journey as a researcher on WW-II history.

The global conflict WW-II occurred from 01,09.1939, to 02.09.1945, involving the Allied Powers (France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union and China) againstthe Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan), remains the deadliest and bloodiest war in history with four to five crore deaths, ending with Japan’s surrender after the atomic bombings and Germany’s earlier defeat in Europe.

Estimated 150,000 to 250,000 aircrafts were lost during WWII with over 100,000+ destroyed. The Soviet Union suffered highest losses (over 106,000), followed by the US (-95,000), Germany (-6,000), Japan (-50,000) and the UK (-42,000), including both combat and non-combat during the war when the aircrafts flew form Ledo Road in Assam’s Tinsukia district, served as a major supply base for Allied forces fighting the Japanese in Burma and China was later renamed Stilwell Road in present Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The wreckages of these aircrafts are discovered from time to time and Darang, who was guide of Mebo MLA Oken Tayeng, has been painstakingly working in the field albeit without any recognition by the state Govt. As Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein along with Arunachal East Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao, Speaker Tesam Pongte, Minister Dasanglu Pul, MLA Laisam Simai, Namsai ZPC Chau Sujana Namchoom, Advisor to DCM Anupam Tangu and Lt Colonel T. C. Tayum led the iconic rally, it is high time that they should take due cognizance of Darang’s decade-long efforts in bringing the hidden history to limelight with evidences.

Darang, in an exclusive interview to this editor on Saturday, disclosed about recovery and documentation of wreckage of three Allied aircraft of WW-II era — two from Changlang district and one from Assam’s Dibrugarh district during a recent expedition, hinting at new perspectives on the region’s wartime aviation history.

The expedition intended to locate aircrafts which had gone down along the WW-II ‘Hump’ air route and in nearby combat zones. The ‘Hump’ was the name given by Allied pilots to eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military aircrafts from India to China to resupply the Chinese war effort of Chiang Kai-shek and the units of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) based in China. An airlift then posed the USAAF a considerable challenge in 1942: it had no units trained or equipped for moving cargo, and there were no airfields in China-Burma-India(CBI) for basing the large number of transport aircrafts. Flying over the Himalayas was extremely dangerous and made more difficult by a lack of reliable charts, an absence of radio navigation aids, and a dearth of information about the weather.

“This time, we went specifically in search of WW-II aircrafts and able to recover evidence in three planes,” he said, adding wreckages of two aircrafts were located near Ranglom village, about 35-km from Changlang town, close to India–Myanmar border. The team had to hire afour-wheeler to drive and reach the difficult terrain with poor road connectivity.

Ranglom is a very beautiful village, but the present road is not suitable for smooth vehicular movement. We had reached the site after considerable hardship. The recovered wreckages include one aircraft identified as a C-46 cargo aircraft, extensively used by the Allied forces during WW-II, he said.

But, the second aircraft could not be fully identified as its parts were scattered and some parts of the wreckage might have been washed away by river water.

Highlighting crucial role played by local oral history in the investigation, he referred to accounts shared by villagers, he said: “We spoke to elderly villagers. One elderly man told us that he had not personally witnessed the incident, but his father had said that two Allied aircrafts were flying in from Patkai direction. At that time, two Japanese fighter planes attacked them and after an aerial combat, both Allied aircrafts crashed.”

On the C-46 aircraft found at Ranglom, local villagers also spoke of fatalities by the crew. “The elders told us that three people were killed in that crash,” Darang said.

The wreckage of the third aircraft was recovered from Sapekhati in Dibrugarh district. This aircraft is also believed to be a C-46, which crashed in 1945 while approaching Chabua airfield. Chabuain Dibrugarh district was one of the most important Allied air bases then.

“The aircraft was flying in from Kunming region and met with an accident while approaching Chabua when it was dark with poor visibility. Sapekhatihad dense forest and wetlands then and the aircraft crashed and disappeared there,” Darang explained.

The crash site remarkably remained hidden for several decades. The aircraft now lies beneath a pond belonging to a local resident, Darang discloed.

“One Kumud Sharma had discovered the aircraft inside his pond. The pond is only about 6–7 feet deep whereas the aircraft lies 15–20 feet below as this area was once a larger water body,” he said.

Changes in land use over time, like filling up wetlands, changes in water flow and drying up of streams and rivers, had kept the wreckage concealed for many years, he hinted.

Stressing on historical importance of these discoveries, Darang appealed for the preservation of the wreckage. “These crash sites are part of our forgotten history. They should be properly preserved. In the future, these places can become important historical landmarks,” he said.

These discoveries have given fresh momentum to the efforts of independent researchers and historians working to document WW-II aerial warfare and supply routes in NE India. The region played a vital role in the Allied operations in the China–Burma–India (CBI) Theatre.

However, based on information published by Sookerating, a WW-II–era document cited by Clayton Kuhles, Founder and President of MIA Recoveries Inc., in a written sheds light on the final moments of a United States Army Air Forces C-46 aircraft that went missing while flying the “Hump” air route on 06.02.1945.

The C-46 aircraft (serial number 6983) took off from China’s Kunmingand was last seen near what is now the Chabua airfield. The aircraft was flying on a single engine. Despite receiving radio guidance, the crew failed to locate the airfield. After sighting Dinjan airfield, they attempted to turn back towards Sookerating. In the final radio message, the aircraft reported flying at an altitude of 5,000 feet.

On 16.03.1945, wreckage of the aircraft was recovered from a remote mountainous area. All four crew members lost their lives in the crash — Pilot 1st Lt. Bernard A. Byers, Co-pilot 1st Lt. Joseph F. Huba, Radio Operator Sgt. W. P. Boly, and Assistant Radio Operator Pvt. Hugh D. Cummings, Clayton mentioned in his note.

This tragic incident once again highlights the extreme dangers of the WW-II “Hump” airlift, where unpredictable weather, mechanical failures and rugged mountainous terrain claimed the lives of hundreds of aircraft and thousands of personnel.

The post 3 WW-II aircrafts’ wreckages found in Arunachal &...

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