Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon

Param Vir Chakra is the highest medal for gallantry of Indian Military. Since 1947, Indian defense forces have participated in various campaigns all around India and world. India fought three wars with Pakistan in 1948, 1965 and in 1971, One war with china in 1962.

Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon(aka Nimmy) was born on 17 July 1945 at Rurka Isewal village in Ludhiana District in the house of Sardar Trilok Singh Sekhon, a retired Flight Lieutenant of Indian Air Force. As any normal Sikh child, he was raised with the virtue of gallantry and sacrifice by his parents. He joined Indian Air Force as a Flying officer in 1968.

Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Gnat detachment(18 Squadron "The Flying bullets") based at Srinagar for the air defence of the valley against Pakistani air attacks. From the very outbreak of the hostilities he and his colleagues fought successive waves of intruding Pakistani aircraft with valour and determination, maintaining the high reputation of the Gnat aircraft.

On 14th December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by a wave of enemy Sabre aircraft. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at the time. Immediately, however, no fewer than six enemy aircraft were overhead. They began bombing and strafing the airfield and prevented the Indian aircraft from taking off.

Inspite of the mortal danger of attempting to take off during the attack, Flying Officer Sekhon took off and immediately engaged a pair of the attacking Sabres. In the fight that ensued, he secured hits on one aircraft and set another on fire. By this time, the other Sabre aircraft came to the aid of their hard-pressed companions and Flying Officer Sekhon's Gnat was again outnumbered, this time by four to one.

Even though alone, Flying Officer Sekhon engaged the enemy in an unequal combat. In the fight that followed, at treetop height, he almost held his own, but was eventually overcome by the sheer weight of numbers. His aircraft crashed and he was killed. But his struggle was not in vain. The Sabre jets, unable to press home their attack on the town and its airfield, immediately retreated.

The sublime heroism, supreme gallantry, flying skill and determination far and beyond the call of duty displayed by Fg Offr Sekhon in the face of certain death have set new heights to Air Force tradition. The "Param Vir Chakra" (the nation's highest gallantry award) was posthumously awarded to Flying Officer N.J.S. Sekhon.


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