Issewal to house library dedicated to 1971 war hero

ISSEWAL (LUDHIANA): After a memorial, the native village of 1971 war hero and Param Vir Chakra awardee Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon will now get a library in his name. The Issewal village panchayat has already started the library construction work.
Besides Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, who is the only officer from IAF to have been awarded the highest gallantry medal, Sepoy Sarup Singh from the same village had also attained martyrdom in the 1971 war with Pakistan.
Village sarpanch Gurjit Singh said though the library is being constructed in the name of Sekhon, it will also have a picture of Sepoy Sarup Singh. He said Captain Sandeep Sandhu of Congress had got Rs 50 lakh for the library. The process to select books and furniture is on, he said. The library will be completed in the next two to three months, he added.
Captain Sandhu said the library is being constructed to commemorate Flying Officer Sekhon and war-related books will be kept there.
The late officer’s nephew Amardeep Singh (38,said they are thankful to the government for the library at their native village.
A memorial in the name of Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was inaugurated by senior IAF officers at the government senior secondary school in the village. A memorial in his name is also there at the mini secretariat in Ludhiana.
The flying officer was posthumously awarded Param Vir Chakra in recognition of his defence of Srinagar airbase against Pakistan air force’s raid during the 1971war.