At martyr’s village, residents call for developement as tribute in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: Relatives of the lone Param Vir Chakra recipient in the Indian Air Force (IAF), Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon of Issewal village in Ludhiana have been invited to attend the ceremony to name 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman and Nicobar, which will also be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in online mode.
The flying officer was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra in recognition of his valorous defence of Srinagar airbase against raiding Pakistani aircraft during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. His brother’s family has been invited to the event.
The late officer’s 40-year-old nephew, Amardeep Singh, who lives with his mother, 65-year-old Jagnandan Kaur at Rajguru Nagar, Ludhiana, said they were invited for the function by the Defence Ministry about ten 10 days ago. He said he reached Port Blair with his brother-in-law Chamkaur Singh of Chandigarh four to five days back to attend Monday’s function, which would be attended by home minister Amit Shah. He added that the Prime Minister would inaugurate the ceremony of naming the islands through online mode.
“It feels great that the government is naming a large unnamed island after my uncle and his soul must be happy. We are proud to be part of the family of the officer who was the only one from the IAF to get a Param Vir Chakra and who sacrificed his life defending the motherland,” said Amardeep. He also praised the arrangements made by the Defence Ministry at the function.
Amardeep said that his father and late uncle got married on the same day in 1970, after one year, Nirmaljit Singh achieved martyrdom in the line of duty. He didn’t have any children and his wife remarried.
Back home in his native Isewal village, the happiness at having an island named after the hero is tinged with scepticism. Residents of the village are quick to point out that development of the area is not in consonance with the glowing tributes paid to the martyr. They clarify that they are indeed happy with the naming of an island after the son of the soil but they also want the government to take proper care of his birthplace.
Village sarpanch Gurjit Singh said, “What has been done in the village? Only the name of the great officer is there but not much has been done in his village. The Member Parliament adopted the village as part of the Prime Minister’s scheme but the village didn’t get anything from the Union government. We have 40% to 50% work of interlock tiles and sewerage left in the village. There is not much arrangement for drainage of water as both the ponds in the village are full. We don’t have arrangement of bus (transport) service.”
Another village resident said that whenever they questioned authorities about dilapidated roads in the village, they were told that it would be done by the Mandi Board.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in a ceremony to name 21 largest unnamed islands in Andaman and Nicobar after Param Vir Chakra awardees. The naming ceremony is being conducted on Parakram Diwas, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The PM will also unveil the model of a new National Memorial dedicated to the freedom fighter.