City remembers war heroes with renewed reverence

As tension between India and Pakistan escalated on the border in the past two days, the city came together to remember war heroes from Ludhiana who laid down their lives for the sake of the country. Moving on a busy road near Rose Garden or going to the Deputy Commissioner’s office for some work, one always comes across the statues of war heroes symbolising their supreme valour and ultimate sacrifices in the service of the nation.

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon from village Issewal in Ludhiana district was the first officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to receive the nation’s highest gallantry award, Param Vir Chakra, posthumously for his great courage and bravery during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. His statue is now installed at the Deputy Commissioner’s complex while earlier it was installed at Samrala Chowk.

He was fascinated with aircraft and life in the Air Force since his childhood as his village was located in the vicinity of the Indian Air Force base at Halwara near Ludhiana.

During the India-Pakistan war of 1971, Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was the pilot of a Gnat detachment (18 Squadron, known as ‘The Flying Bullets’), based at Srinagar. On December 14, 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by Pakistan.

Flying Officer Sekhon, after being hit, was advised to return to the base and attempted a last-minute ejection, which did not prove successful. His aircraft crashed and he was martyred.

Major Bhupinder Singh hailed from Harnampura village in Ludhiana. For displaying exemplary gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty during the India-Pakistan war of 1965, Major Bhupinder Singh was awarded Maha Vir Chakra posthumously.

In 1965, Major Bhupinder Singh was commanding the squadron ‘B’ of 4th Horse which was deployed to cut the enemy line off along Gadgor-Phillora road and provide a fire base for the attack on Phillora.

The statue of war hero Major Bhupinder Singh with a Patton tank stands tall near the Rose Garden.

Although Major Bhupinder’s tank was hit on several occasions, he continued to remain in effective command. On September 19, which happened to be his birthday, his tank got hit by a missile and caught fire. He suffered grievous injuries and lost his life on October 3, 1965.

His statue and the tank were installed on the rotary in the centre of Bharat Nagar Chowk, later shifted near the main gate of Government College for Girls after the rotary was razed, and is now located outside the Rose Garden.

Ishmin, who regularly comes to the Rose Garden for a walk, said that she crosses this statue but today she stood there for a minute and paid homage to the war hero. “Fear gripped everyone after the air strikes by the neighbouring country and now I can completely comprehend what role our Armed Forces play in the well-being of our nation,” she said. Ishmin has decided to pay floral tributes to the martyr on his birth and death anniversary every year.

Villagers from Issewal say their son laid down his life for the nation. “We can never repay his debt and not only our village but the entire nation is indebted to him for the sacrifice he made,” said Gurcharan Singh, an octogenarian from the village.