Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC
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Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC Jai hind, I am CDT pathik panchal from 1.MAH.ARMD.SQDN.NCC. Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, son of Warrant Officer TrilokSingh Sekhon, was born on July 17, 1943, in Village Rurka Isewal. Ludhiana, Punjab. He was Commissioned in the Indian Air Force on June 4, J967. He won the first Param Vir Chakra for the Indian Air Force during Indo-Pak War 1971. Flying Officer Sekhon was a pilot in a Gnat Detachment based at Srinagar for the air defence Of the Valley. India was bound by an international Agreement not to base its air defence aircraft at Srinagar. Therefore, the pilots who were hurriedly Brought to Srinagar at the outbreak of hostilities With Pakistan, were neither familiar with the Terrain nor acclimatized to the winter rigors of Kashmir. Nevertheless, during the War, Flying Officer Sekhon and his colleagues fought Pakistani air raids with valor and determination. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was serving with the No.18 Squadron, “The Flying Bullets” of IAF, flying the Folland Gnat fighter aircraft based at Srinagar. On 14 December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by six Pakistan Air Force F-86 jets of 26 Sqn from PAF base Peshawar. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at that time. As soon as the first aircraft attacked, Sekhon rolled for take-off as No 2 in a two-Gnat formation, with Flt. Lt. Ghumman in lead, just as the first bombs were falling on the runway. Only delayed due to dust kicked up by the preceding Gnat, Sekhon lost no time in singling out the first Sabre pair, which was re- forming after the bombing run. The Gnat Leader, Flt. Lt. Ghumman lost visual with his wingman just after take-off, remained out of the fight leaving Sekhon to handle the muddle all by himself. In the ensuing air battle, Sekhon scored a direct hit on one Sabre and set another ablaze. The latter was seen heading away towards Rajauri, trailing smoke. A native of Rurka Issewal village in Dakha, had sacrificed his life during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. Sekhon, after being hit, was advised to return to the base by ATC Squadron Leader Virendra Singh Pathania VC, VM.[8] He is said to have flown in straight, wings level for some time, then going inverted, plummeting down, probably due failure of control system. He attempted a last- minute ejection, which did not prove successful, as his canopy was seen to fly off. The wreckage of the Gnat was found in a gorge, near the road coming from Srinagar town to the base, a few miles from the base. Despite many search efforts by Army and Air Force, his remains were never found due to the mountainous terrain of where his fighter went down, much to the disappointment of his wife and family. A detailed story of his effort has been mentioned in fairly detailed account by Air Cdre Kaiser Tufail. His skill was later also praised in an article by Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who shot him down.[10] The bravery, flying skill and determination displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon, earned him India’s highest wartime medal for gallantry, the Param Vir Chakra. Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is remembered for his gallantry and statues of him have also been erected in many cities in Punjab. A marine tanker built in 1985 was named Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC. A statue in tribute of Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was erected at the district court of Ludhiana (first erected at Samrala Chowk, Ludhiana) in the courtyard next to the flag pole. A decommissioned Folland Gnat fighter is part of the memorial and serves as a gate guardian. His statue along with a decommissioned Folland Gnat fighter has been placed in the Indian Air Force Museum, Palam. Thank you Jai hind. .