Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon

Early life Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was born in a Jat Sikh family on 17 July 1945 His father was an Indian Air Force’s Master Warrant Officer, Honorary Flight Lieutenant Tarlochan Singh Sekhon and his mother was Harbans Kaur Sekhon. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 4 June 1967 as a Pilot Officer.

Param Vir Chakra Award During the India–Pakistan war of 1971, he was stationed at the No.18 Squadron, "Flying Bullets" of IAF, flying the Folland Gnat fighter aircraft based at Srinagar. On 14 December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked – as part of Operation Chengiz Khan – by six Pakistan Air Force F-86 jets of 26 Squadron from PAF Base Peshawar. Fg Offr Sekhon was on readiness duty at that time. As soon as the first aircraft attacked, Sekhon rolled for take-off as No 2 in a two-Gnat formation, with Flt. Lt. Ghumman in the lead, just as the first bombs were falling on the runway. Only delayed due to dust kicked up by the bomb. Sekhon lost no time in singling out the first Sabre pair, which was re-forming after the bombing run. The Gnat Leader, Flt. Lt. Ghumman lost visual with his wingman just after take-off, remained out of the fight, leaving Sekhon to handle the muddle all by himself. In the ensuing air battle, Sekhon scored a direct hit on one Sabre and set another ablaze. The latter was seen heading away towards Rajauri, trailing smoke.

Sekhon, after being hit, was advised to return to the base by ATC Squadron Leader Virendera Singh Pathania. He is said to have flown in straight, wings level for some time, then going inverted and plummeting down, probably due to failure of control system. He attempted a last-minute ejection, which did not prove successful, as his canopy was seen to fly off. The wreckage of the Gnat was found in a gorge near the road coming from Srinagar town to the base, a few miles from the base. Despite many efforts by Army and Air Force, his remains were never found due to the mountainous terrain where his fighter went down.

A detailed story of his effort has been mentioned in fairly detailed account by Air Cmde Kaiser Tufail. His skill has been praised in an article by Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who downed his aircraft during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The bravery, flying skill and determination displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon, against odds of 1:6, earned him India's highest wartime medal for gallantry, the Param Vir Chakra.

Citation

The Param Vir Chakra citation reads as follows:

Honours Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is remembered for his gallantry and statues of him have also been erected in many cities in India. A marine tanker built in 1985 was named Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC. Indian Army converted the room once used by Sekhon, into a museum called PVC Abode at Badami Bagh in Srinagar. It was unveiled on his 80th birth anniversary in July 2025, to preserve his legacy of courage and bravery during the 1971 War.

Statues and a bust

A statue in tribute 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 flagpole. 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, Palam.

Balidan Stambh, the war memorial in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir in 2009 paid tribute to him by inscribing his name on the pillars alongside the martyrs of the 1971 war. His name is displayed near the Amar Jawan Jyoti (Eternal Flame) and as relief mural on the outside background wall with the Param Vir Chakra awardees who attained martyrdom in J&K.

Air Marshal BR Krishna unveiled Sekhon's bust in 2021 at Govt. Senior Sec. School, Issewal in Ludhiana, his birthplace.

This memorial with his aircraft model is located at the District Court Complex Ludhiana.

In popular culture The thirteenth episode of TV Series Param Vir Chakra, aired on DD National was on him in 1988. He was portrayed by actor Kanwaljit Singh A graphic novel titled Param Vir Chakra by Amar Chitra Katha dedicated their thirteenth story written by Sanjana Kapur and drawn by Durgesh Velhal in 2015. A graphic novel titled Param Vir Chakra Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon by Roli Books written by Ian Cardozo and drawn by Rishi Kumar in 2019. In the film Border 2, Diljit Dosanjh played the role of Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon.