New Delhi: The ‘Sekhon’ Indian Air Force Marathon was held on Sunday in memory of Indian Air Force warrior and Param Vir Chakra awardee Flight Lieutenant Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon.
Air Force marathons took place in various cities across the country to honour the immortal martyr Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon. In New Delhi, Air Force Chief A.P. Singh himself participated in the marathon. On this occasion, the Air Force hailed Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon as an inspiration.
Marathons were held simultaneously across various cities nationwide, including Chandigarh, Rajasthan, and the Northeastern states, to commemorate Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon.
From the plains of the Northeast to the deserts of the West, citizens across the country saluted the valour and bravery of the Indian Air Force.
In New Delhi, the Air Force Chief inaugurated the second edition of the Sekhon Indian Air Force Marathon at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It is noteworthy that Sekhon is the only Air Force officer to have been awarded the Param Vir Chakra.
Marathon categories covering distances of 21 km, 10 km, and 5 km were organised in his honour.
During the 1971 war, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon valiantly engaged half a dozen Pakistani fighter jets with his own combat aircraft. During the engagement, he shot down a Pakistani fighter jet.
He ultimately laid down his life for the country, making the supreme sacrifice while fighting in the war.
On December 14, 1971, six Pakistani fighter jets attacked India’s Srinagar airfield. To teach the enemy a lesson, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, deployed as a Gnat pilot, took to the skies in a heroic sortie. To thwart the Pakistani air attack, Sekhon confronted the enemy in mid-air. He shot down a Pakistani Sabre jet and subsequently inflicted heavy damage on another Pakistani fighter aircraft. Nirmaljit Singh emerged as a formidable challenge for the Pakistan Air Force, defending his Srinagar base until his very last breath.
A marathon has been organised for the second consecutive year to honour his valour and sacrifice. It was not merely a race, but a tribute to his patriotism, discipline, and bravery.
On October 4, as the first rays of the sun appeared, thousands of people moved forward in unison at New Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, commemorating Sekhon’s sacrifice.
People from every corner of India, spanning diverse ages, languages, and backgrounds, ran with a shared spirit the race dedicated to the nation and held in Sekhon’s honour.
The second edition of the ‘Sekhon Indian Air Force Marathon’ was also held in Chandigarh.
In Guwahati, Assam, senior Air Force officers and civilians took part in the ‘Sekhon Indian Air Force Marathon,’ and the Indian Air Force also organised the event in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
(IANS)
