District pays homage to 1971 war heroes

Ludhiana: Two 1971 war heroes — Param Vir Chakra awardee Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon and Sepoy Sarup Singh — were paid tribute on their death anniversaries at their native village, Issewal, on Wednesday. Villagers, political representatives, officials from Indian Air Force, civil administration and police attended the function organised at Issewal.
Daljit Singh Sekhon, cousin of late flying officer Nirmaljit Sekhon, said Air Marshal Manjit Singh Sekhon (retired) also came from Delhi to attend the function where he shared about his days with Nirmaljit Sekhon at Srinagar airbase.
On the occasion, students of a local government school sang patriotic songs and staged patriotic plays in the memory of the great martyrs.
While presiding over the function organised in Government Senior Secondary School Issewal, Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said flying officer Nirmaljit Sekhon had laid down his life for the sake of the country and the countrymen would ever remain indebted to him. He said the students must take inspiration from martyrs’ lives and serve the country with zeal and commitment.
A wreath-laying ceremony was also organised to pay tribute to the Param Vir Chakra recipient at the district administrative complex on Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik along with AOC (Air Officer Commanding) Sandeep Chaudhary paid tribute to him by laying wreaths while the Punjab Police and Air Force presented the guard of honour to the martyr.
Born on July 17, 1943, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on July 4, 1967. During the Indo-Pak war, Srinagar Air Field was attacked by six Pakistani aircraft on December 14, 1971.
Sekhon took off to counter the enemy attack. The officer exhibited extreme courage, valour and determination par excellence to thwart the Pakistani attack and destroyed two enemy aircraft. Being heavily outnumbered, Sekhon eventually made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation while fighting the enemy.