Page 8 - NIS English 16-31 July,2023

Personality Nirmal Jeet Singh Sekhon

NIRMAL JEET SINGH SEKHON:

THE INDIAN AIR FORCE'S ONLY

PARAM VIR CHAKRA AWARDEE

BORN: 17 JULY 1943 | DIED: 14 DECEMBER, 1971

Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, the first and only Paramveer Flying Officer of the Indian
Air Force, whose courage and supreme sacrifice continue to inspire millions, is
one of India's most distinguished war heroes. The nation will always remember
bravehearts like Sekhon for his intrepid act of flying his fighter aircraft in
adverse conditions amidst enemy bombardment and then shooting down two
enemy fighter jets in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971...

irmal Jeet Singh Sekhon was born in Rurka shooting down one plane and setting the other
NIssewal village, Ludhiana, Punjab, on July 17, on fire. During this time, Sekhon lost contact with
1943. Sardar Trilok Singh was his father's name, Flt. Lt. Ghumman, who was in command and was
and Harbans Kaur was his mother's. His father fighting the enemy alone.
was an Air Force Warrant Officer who retired as In the meantime, four more Pakistani planes
an Honorary Flying Lieutenant. Nirmal Jeet Singh surrounded Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon's plane.
has always had a fascination with aircraft and Sekhon did not give up and continued to fight
the Air Force. In 1962, he enrolled at Dayalbagh their enemies in the battle. Sekhon's plane was
Engineering College after graduating from Ajitsar attacked, and he was martyred. His plane's
Mohi High School in Ludhiana. However, he wreckage was eventually discovered, but his body
dropped out midway and joined the Air Force as a was never found. At the age of 28, Sheikh was
fighter pilot on June 4, 1967. posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the
After undergoing rigorous training, he joined the highest military honour.
18 Sqadron in October 1968. In 1971, he married.
Simultaneously, information about the Pakistan- This is how a grateful nation remembers
India war, which Pakistan initiated on December In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 21 large
3, 1971, was received. Sekhon made the decision uncharted islands have been named after Param Vir
to take command. Sekhon was co-pilot of a G-Nat Chakra winners, including one named after Flying
squadron in Srinagar at the time, reporting directly Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon. On the occasion,
to the Srinagar airbase. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, "These 21
18 Squadron was tasked with protecting the newly named islands will be a constant source of
airspace from Pakistan. Nirmal Jeet Singh Sekhon, inspiration for the younger generations." There are
a flying officer, was assigned to this mission. also statues of him at the National War Memorial,
Sekhon was ready on December 14, 1971. Six F-86 the District Court in Ludhiana, and his school. On the
fighter jets from Peshawar, Pakistan, attacked the 50th anniversary of the Indian Republic, then-Prime
Srinagar airbase. Enemy aircraft began to hover Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee issued a set of five
over the strip, and ground targets were attacked. postage stamps honouring gallantry award winners
Flying in such a situation is tantamount to inviting of the Indian Armed Forces, including the name of
death. Nonetheless, Sekhon flew the aircraft, Flying Officer Nirmal Jeet Singh Sekhon.

6 New India Samachar July 16-31, 2023