Tributes paid to sole PVC recipient from Air Force

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 14

A wreath-laying ceremony was organised to pay tributes to Param Vir Chakra Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, the only member of the Indian Air Force to be so honoured, on his martyrdom day at the Mini-Secretariat here on Monday. Sekhon, a native of Rurka Issewal village in Dakha, had sacrificed his life during the Indo-Pak War of 1971.

Air Commodore Shoeb Kazmi, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station, Halwara; Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) J Elanchezhian, along with other prominent persons, paid tributes to the martyr. The Punjab Police presented the guard of honour to the martyr. Amardeep Singh Sekhon, nephew of the late flying officer, was also present during the ceremony.

Born on July 17, 1943, Sekhon was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on July 4, 1967. During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Srinagar Air Field was attacked by a wave of six Pakistani aircraft on December 14, 1971. Despite being under attack, the late flying officer displayed exceptional flying skills and took off to counter the enemy attack. He exhibited courage, valour and determination par excellence to thwart the attack and destroyed two enemy aircraft forcing the enemy to return. Heavily outnumbered, his aircraft was shot down by a gunfire of one of the Sabres and he was killed.

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