Dorjee Khandu, who took part in the Bangladesh war and was twice chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, died in the very mountains where he was born and grew up.

Khandu went to a government school in Tawang, from where his helicopter took off last Saturday before crashing not far from Gyankhar village where he was born into the Monpa tribe on March 19, 1955.

A military intelligence man who received a gold medal for meritorious service during the 1971 Bangladesh war, Khandu later worked his way up as a politician.

Starting from the village level in 1980, he rose through the district and zilla parishad to win his first Assembly election in March 1990 uncontested from Mukto in Tawang district. He was re-elected in March 1995 and became minister of state for co-operation. The next year, he was promoted to the cabinet.

In 2007, he replaced Gegong Apang as chief minister and dreamed big, aiming to make Arunachal a leading state.

In 2009, elected unopposed to the Assembly from Mukto once again, Khandu became chief minister for the second time on October 25.

His body was found in his constituency today and identified by a panchayat member from his native village.

Congress workers and supporters who had gathered outside the chief minister’s Itanagar bungalow could not believe the news of his death. “Woh abhi bhi zinda hain... woh mar nahin sakte, hame vishwas nahin ho raha hai (he is still alive, he can’t die, we can’t believe it),” was the refrain.

In his first term as chief minister, he helped reopen the state-owned Apex Cooperative bank.

Khandu started the trans-Arunachal highway in a state where connectivity is a problem and raised wages in the unorganised sector.

The chief minister aimed to generate revenue from hydro-power projects being set up in Arunachal, which he said would ensure the state did not have to run to Delhi with a begging bowl.

People in Tawang said he improved water supply and set up schools and religious institutions in remote villages of the district.

Law and order had also improved under him, supporters said.

Khandu started the under-construction MLA hostel, Assembly and secretariat in Itanagar and oversaw the completion of the new chief minister’s residence, Niti Vihar.

Former chief minister Mukut Mithi, parliamentary secretary Pady Richo, government spokesperson Jar Bom Gamlin, PCC president Nabam Tuki and Arunachal East MP Ninong Ering were unanimous in their praise for the unprecedented development ushered in by the “visionary, cheerful and caring” Khandu.

Not everyone shared the view. In February, a section of legislators revolted against Khandu but he appeared to have tided over it. Asked about the revolt today, one of the dissidents said: “This is no time for such discussions. There was nothing personal. He was a fine gentleman. His passing away is a big loss.”

Khandu is survived by four wives, four sons and two daughters.