Saluting our Heroes: Fg Off Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC

From the Indian Army website:

The Param Vir Chakra is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self sacrifice, in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea, or in the air. The decoration may be awarded posthumously.

*** Saluting our Heores – Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC ***

A tribute to Fg Off Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC

***

Early December 1971: The Indian Air Force has launched massive retaliatory strikes against Pakistan’s pre-emptive attacks on eleven cities in India on 3rd December. PM Indira Gandhi has held the Pakistani air strikes as a declaration of war against India. Indian forces are preparing for a massive and coordinated air, sea, and land assault.

By the second week of December, Pakistan is edging closer to the brink of defeat. The Pakistani air force has suffered heavy losses. On the eastern front, Pakistan’s 14 Squadron has been all but destroyed. Indian air force now controls the eastern front.

The icy heights of Jammu & Kashmir are still seeing some action. This includes men of 18 Squadron, “The Flying Bullets”. These men are bravely repulsing the Pakistani attacks inspite of lack of familiarity with the terrain and having had no time for acclimatisation. Even in these freezing temparatures, the morale of the men remains high.

On 14 December 1971 – even as Pakistan is on the verge of surrendering – Srinagar airfield is attacked by six Pakistani F-86 Sabre jets.

What happened next is best described in the Citation for Param Vir Chakra that was awarded to Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon:

CITATION

Fg Offr Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, 18 Squadron 10877 F(P)

Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Folland Gnat detachment based at Srinagar for the air defence of the valley against Pakistani air attacks. In accordance with the international agreement dating back to 1948, no air defence aircraft were based at Sirinagar, until the outbreak of hostilities with Pakistan.

Flying Officer Sekhon was, therefore, unfamiliar with the terrain and was not acclimatised to the altitude of Srinagar, especially with the bitter cold and biting winds of the Kashmir winter. Nevertheless, from the outset of the war, he and his colleagues fought successive waves of intruding Pakistani aircraft with valour and determination, maintaining the high reputation of the Folland Gnat aircraft.

On 14 December 1971, Srinagar Airfield was attacked by a wave of six enemy Sabre aircraft.

Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at the time. However, he could not take off at once because of the clouds of dust raised by another aircraft which had just taken off.

By the time the runway was fit for take-off, no fewer than six enemy aircraft were overhead, and strafing of the airfield was in progress. Nevertheless, in spite of the mortal danger of attempting to take off during an attack, and in spite of the odds against him. Flying Officer Sekhon took off and immediately engaged a pair of the attacking Sabres.

In the fight that followed, at tree top height, he all but held his own, but was eventually overcome by sheer weight of numbers. His aircraft crashed and he was killed.

In thus, sacrificing himself for the defence of Srinagar, Flying Officer Sekhon achieved his object, for the enemy aircraft fled from the scene of the battle without pressing home their attack against the town and the airfield.

The sublime heroism, supreme gallantry, flying skill and determination, above and beyond the call of duty, displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon in the face of certain death, set new heights to Air Force traditions.

***

Such was the bravery, skill and determination displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon that even Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who shot him down praised him.

Flying Officer Sekhon was 27 years old.  He is the only receipient of the Param Vir Chakra from the Indian Air Force.

Read the other posts in this series here.