A bust of Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, Param Vir Chakra (posthumously), was unveiled by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of (AOCinC ) Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force Air Marshal BR Krishna at the Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon Government Higher Secondary School , Isewal in Ludhiana District of Punjab. The event was a part of the Swarnim Vijay Varsh celebrations
Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was awarded India’s highest gallantry award Param Vir Chakra posthumously for showing exemplary courage and determination in defeating Pakistan during the 1971 war. Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is the only member of the Indian Air Force to be honoured with the Param Vir Chakra.
Air Marshal BR Krishna interacted with 1971 war veterans and with family members of late Flying Officer Nirmal Jeet Singh Sekhon. The students of the Government Higher Secondary School also participated in the event.The event culminated with an aerial demonstration by the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and it was followed by presentation of mementos to veterans. The Indian Air Force Band enthralled the attendees with soulful tunes during the event.
Commissioned as pilot officer on 4 june 1967, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was part of 18 Squadron of Indian Air Force. He died on 14 December at the age of 26 years. After giving a befitting reply to the enemy his fighter aircraft Gnat crashed somewhere in mountainous terrain near Srinagar. He tried a last-minute ejection, which did not prove successful. The wreckage of the Gnat was found in a gorge, a coupleanil of miles away from Srinagar air base. Despite many search efforts , Sekhon’s remains were never found.
