Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon

Born: 17 July 1943

Died: 14 December 1971

He was an officer of the Indian Air Force.
He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration during wartime, in recognition of his lone defense of Srinagar Air Base against a PAF air raid during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
He is the only member of the Indian Air Force to be so honored.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was serving with the No.18 Squadron, “The Flying Bullets” of IAF, flying the Folland Gnat fighter aircraft based at Srinagar.
On 14 December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by six Pakistan Air Force F-86 jets of 26 Sqn from PAF base Peshawar.
A detailed story of his effort has been mentioned in a fairly detailed account by Air Cdre Kaiser Tufail.
His skill was later also praised in an article by Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who shot him down.
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.
A detailed story of his effort has been mentioned in a fairly detailed account by Air Cdre Kaiser Tufail.
His skill was later also praised in an article by Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who shot him down.
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.