Villagers urge govt to name school after war hero Sekhon

The 54th death anniversary of 1971 war hero Flight Lieutenant Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon will be observed on December 14. Sekhon sacrificed his life during the Indo-Pak War of 1971, while defending the Srinagar airbase. He belonged to Issewal village near Ludhiana, and villagers are immensely proud of the village’s brave son. As a fitting tribute to the Param Vir Chakra recipient, villagers have urged the government to name the government senior secondary school in the village after him.

During the First World War (1914–1919), 53 persons from this village participated six of whom laid down their lives—reflecting the area’s long tradition of valour.

A marathon was recently organised across 46 air bases nationwide to honour Sekhon’s memory. Born on July 17, 1943, he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 4, 1967.

Recalling the fateful day of Sekhon’s martyrdom, his cousin Daljit Singh told The Tribune, “On December 14, 1971, at Srinagar, Sekhon took off in his Gnat aircraft even as the airfield was under intense attack. He fearlessly engaged F-86 Sabre jets, damaging two and forcing two others to retreat before being outnumbered.”

“For his supreme gallantry, flying skills and ultimate sacrifice, he was honoured with the Param Vir Chakra,” Daljit added. He also remembered Sekhon’s mother, Harbans Kaur, as a courageous woman, who encouraged her son to serve the nation.

Another villager, Sukhpal Singh Issewal, said, “Every year, a grand function is held in his memory on December 14. The entire village reveres the martyr, but we feel disappointed that successive governments have not named the local school after him.”

He added that villagers still remember how the young pilot’s aircraft would fly over the village, drawing everyone out to catch a glimpse of their hero.

Sekhon’s ancestral house still stands in the village, though now maintained by a caretaker. A statue in his honour was installed at the Government Senior Secondary School, Issewal, in 2021 by the Indian Air Force.