Flying Officer

This story is a real one, of an Indian airforce pilot named Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon. He was awarded India's highest gallantry award, Param Vir Chakra posthumously for his lone defence of Srinagar Air Base against a Pakistan air force raid during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Nirmal Jit was born on 17th July 1943 in Ludhiana in the village of Isewal. His father was the M.W.O. (Honorary) Flight Lieutenant Tarlok Singh Sekhon. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a Pilot Officer on 4th June 1967.

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Gnat detachment based at Srinagar for the air defence of the valley against Pakistani air force attacks. From the very outbreak of the war, he and his colleagues fought successive waves of intruding Pakistani aircraft with grit and determination and maintained the high reputation of the Gnat aircraft. On 14 December 1971, the Srinagar airfield was attacked by a wave of enemy Sabre aircraft. Flying Officer Sekhon was on alert duty at that time. Immediately, however, there were six enemy aircraft flying overhead, and they began bombing and strafing the airfield. In spite of the imminent 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 hit one aircraft and damaged another. 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 and they were four to one this time.

Even though alone, Flying Officer Sekhon engaged the enemy in unequal combat and in the ensuing fight, at treetop height, he almost held his own but was eventually overcome as he was heavily outnumbered. His aircraft was shot down by gunfire of one of the Sabres and he was killed.

The sublime heroism, supreme gallantry, flying skill and determination above and beyond the call of duty displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon in the face of certain death have set new heights in Air Force traditions and he was awarded the highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra, after his death.

He is the only member of the Indian Air Force to have received the Param Vir Chakra till date. He was only 28 years old when he died for our country.

A statue 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 at Palam.

It is time we remember this braveheart who died fighting for our country, Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon!