Hello, Warriors! Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon was born on 17 July 1943 at Rurka Isewal village in Ludhiana District. He was the son of Warrant Officer Hon. Flight Lieutenant Trilok Singh Sekhon of the Indian Air Force. As any normal Sikh child, he was raised with the virtue of gallantry and sacrifice by his parents.
Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was an officer of the Indian Air Force and the posthumous recipient of the only Param Vir Chakra awarded to an Indian Air Force Personnel. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on June 4, 1967 as a Flying Officer. His award was in recognition of his lone and fatal defence of Srinagar Air Base during an air raid during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
MILITARY ACTION:
On 14 December 1971, Srinagar airfield was attacked by a wave of six PAF F-86 jets. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at that time. Soon the enemy aircraft started hovering over the airfield. Straffing of various targets on the ground followed. Attempting to take-off with enemy aircraft overhead and the runway under attack was suicidal. However, Flying Officer Sekhon, unmindful of his safety, flew his Folland Gnat to engage the two attacking Sabres. In the air battle that ensued, he secured a direct hit on one Sabre and set another ablaze. The latter was seen heading away towards Rajauri, trailing smoke and flame.
The daily attacks by Sabres had caused damage to the runway but the repair gangs always ensured that the runway was never out of permanent service. So, when the Sabres of Pakistani commander Changazi, Dotani, Andrabi and Mir attacked the airfield carrying 500 lbs bombs each, Sekhon lost no time in singling out the first Sabre Pair, which was forming its original position after the bombing run. Nirmaljit’s leader Lt. Ghuman lost contact with the wingman, and therefore, Sekhon was left with six Pakistani Sabres on his tail gunning for his aircraft.
At this juncture four more Pakistani Sabres came on the scene and surrounded his aircraft. He chose to give a fight again. In the dog fight that ensued at tree-top level, he held on against the numerically superior enemy for some time. Eventually, his aircraft was hit and he was killed. But Flying Officer Sekhon had achieved his objective. The Pakistani aircraft fled from the scene of the battle, without pressing home, the intended attack on Srinagar airfield and its surrounding areas. The bravery, flying skill and determination displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon, earned him the highest wartime gallantry medal, Param Vir Chakra. His skill was later praised in an article by Salim Baig Mirza, the pilot who shot him down.
pic: topyaps
The PVC citation of Flg Ofr Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon read:
“Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was a pilot of a Gnat detachment based at Srinagar for the air defence of the valley against Pakistani air attacks. In accordance with the international agreement dating back to 1948, no air defence aircraft were based at Sirinagar, until the outbreak of hostilities with Pakistan. Flying Officer Sekhon was, therefore, unfamiliar with the terrain and was not acclimatised to the altitude of Srinagar, especially with the bitter cold and biting winds of the Kashmir winter. Nevertheless, from the outset of the war, he and his colleagues fought successive waves of intruding Pakistani aircraft with valour and determination, maintaining the high reputation of the Gnat aircraft. On 14th December 1971, Srinagar Airfield was attached by a wave of six enemy Sabre aircraft. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at the time. However, he could not take off at once because of the clouds of dust raised by another aircraft which had just taken off. By the time the runway was fit for take-off, no fewer than six enemy aircraft were overhead, and strafing of the airfield was in progress. Nevertheless, inspite of the mortal danger of attempting to take off during an attack, and inspite of the odds against him, Flying Officer Sekhon took off and immediately engaged a pair of the attacking Sabres. In the fight that followed, at tree top height, he all but held his own, but was eventually overcome by sheer weight of numbers. His aircraft crashed and he was killed. In thus, sacrificing himself for the defence of Srinagar, Flying Officer Sekhon achieved his object, for the enemy aircraft fled from the scene of the battle without pressing home their attack against the town and the airfield. The sublime heroism, supreme gallantry, filying skill and determination, above and beyond th call of duty, displayed by Flying Officer Sekhon in the face of certain death, set new heights to Air Force traditions.”
Working in the Air Force is about being in the middle of supersonic jets, state-of-the-art technology and best people. You are where the action is. The IAF provides you with the most modern facilities, gives you an unparalleled way of life and creates an environment, where the best in you comes out.
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As an Officer, a warrior, in the Air Force, you’re tasked with upholding the constitution and protecting India’s freedom. The responsibility is enormous, but its not only about work… its also about living well. Quality of life is an important attribute of Air Force life and has no parallel in the civil sector. The life offers you challenge, adventure, excitement, honour, prestige, self respect, content family life, safety and security for self and family and not to forget the social status, respect and esteem of your countrymen.
Besides being a noble service to the motherland and an honourable profession to be proud of, life in the IAF gives variety, adventure and challenge. It provides best of facilities be it recreation, sports, medical, education or clubs ad institutes. The lifestyle imbibes in us a healthy well being and a regime for life. The quality time we are able to spend with our family, social bonding with our counterparts, lifetime relations we nurture and the all willing, all time support from the extended family have boundless value.
Hello, Warriors! India has the 3rd largest Army, 4th largest Air Force and the 7th largest Navy in the world enough to counter any threat to the boundary lines, aerospace or coastal lines of the country.
With the growing technology and it’s use in the defence sector, Indian armed forces has come a long way to the present. India has one of the longest military histories, dating back several millennia. From swords and bow-arrows to the present day drones and missiles, India’s defence history is very rich, which transformed the sections of militaries to a united military that now fights for a single nation.
Here are the 9 facts worth knowing about the Indian Armed Forces today:
First things first: Indian Army is the largest volunteer army in the world- a fact to make every Indian proud that India has the largest number of willing soldiers to serve the nation.
In the Indian army, there is no provision for reservations based on caste or religion. While this is a common practice in other government organisations and institutions in the country, the army looks out for a set of OLQs in the candidates which is irrespective of caste or religion.
The Bailey Bridge is the highest bridge in the world and it is built by the Indian Army in August 1982. It is located in the Ladakh valley between Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains..
It is important to note that the Central Armed Police Forces, which are commonly and incorrectly referred to as ‘Paramilitary Forces’, are headed by officers from the Indian Police Service and are under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, not the Ministry of Defence.
The Indian Air Force has an out-station base in Tajikistan. It is the only IAF base outside India and is seeking another in Afghanistan.
In the Battle of Longewala, on which the famous Bollywood movie “Border” is based, there were only two casualties on the Indian side.
Celebrities are often awarded honorary ranks in the armed forces. While Sachin Tendulkar has been granted the rank of Honorary Group captain in the I.A.F, M.S Dhoni is an Honorary Col in the Indian Army. Many film stars are conferred with military ranks. Some of them are Nana Patekar and Mohan Lal.
India’s indigenous nuclear-capable ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) AGNI-V puts India into the Elite Club consisting of USA, China, France and Russia.
The Indian Naval Academy (NavAc) or The Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kerala is the largest of its kind in Asia.
The Military Engineering Services (MES) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) are together responsible for the construction and maintenance of some of the most awesome roads and bridges ever to have been built. Some of their works include the Khardungla Pass (the highest motorable road in the world), the Magnetic Hill in Leh, etc. The MES is also one of the biggest construction agencies in India.
Indian Army controls the highest battlefield in the world – the Siachen Glacier.
The Indian Armed Forces are the world’s largest arms importer, with Russia, Israel, France and the United States being the top foreign suppliers of military equipment.
With one of the toughest Militaries in the world, the Indian Armed forces proved themselves in various missions and peacekeeping operations. Thank to all the soldiers of the country that we have a peaceful sleep at nights.
Hello, Warriors! 2nd Oct 2015 marks the 146th birth anniversary of Father of The Nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Though the title, ‘Father of The Nation’ is not officially declared, as the Constitution of India does not permit a father of nation, it is mostly conferred to him due to his values and contribution to make India a free nation.
Following are the values to learn from the life of Mahatma Gandhi:
Be What You Are: Gandhiji had the moral courage to visit Buckingham Palace in London clad in his usual simple attire. He casually joked that the king was wearing enough clothes for both of them. This can inspire you to stick to your moral convictions at any cost. Believe in yourself and fight the odds bravely in tough times. Be Yourself.
Be The Change You Want to See: Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” We all crib about things which are not right in our lives and around us. We blame every possible person, government or organisation. However, we seldom do our bit. It is first important to change yourself and try being what you truly are and then expect a change in others.
Think Positive, Be Positive: Gandhiji once prominently said: “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” Your thoughts becomes your feelings, your feelings become your actions, your actions become your habit and it’s your habit that defines you. Therefore stay positive and your entire predicament will feel much less significant.
Instead of ‘Give and Get’, ‘Forgive and Forget’: Gandhiji said, “An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” He believed that only strong people can forgive and forget. So, believe in the power of forgiveness and forget about it; it will help you grow as a person and bring peace.
Be an Example for others: Gandhi said that to change the world, one should start by first changing oneself. So take a good look at the man or woman in the mirror, and make the necessary improvements to become a better person. You cannot hope to inspire others if you do not lead an exemplary life yourself.
Don’t Say ‘Die’: Mahatma Gandhi was one of the freedom fighters who never gave up on the British rule. He fought till the end and made India a proud and free nation. Never give up on your dreams. Be persistent and face every problem with a brave soul. Never have a ‘do or die’ attitude-always do it, before you die.
Be Determined: Mahatma Gandhi knew this really well. His consistency, hardwork and sheer dedication made him excel in everything he did. Be determined and consistent in whatever you do. It is a virtue of successful people.
It’s how you do is all that matters: Gandhiji believed that one’s journey to the goal is more important than the goal itself. That is why he followed the noble method of non-violent protest to fight the British. Gandhiji showed that however important one’s goal may be, it is virtuous to adopt honest and upright means to reach it.
Gandhiji’s brave and successful struggle for Indian independence started the end of British colonialism. He proved that one small man can create big change with his exemplary principles and character. One can learn from his example, and lead a simple and productive life of courage and high moral values, that is fulfilling to oneself and inspires others too.
With the result of AFCAT 2 2015 and EKT 2015, Indian air force has also published the list of non-evaluated candidates. There are total 960 and 1138 candidates for AFCAT and EKT who are under NE category which means their mark sheets or OMR sheets are not evaluated by the Indian air force due to some reasons which are unknown right now.
Possible reasons:
Tampering with the bar code of OMR sheet.
Not attending EKT exam after AFCAT.
Loss of OMR sheets or no submission.
It’s strange that Indian air force has not revealed the reason for not evaluating the OMR sheets of so many aspirants. We hope they will tell the reason soon so that in future aspirants will be more careful while writing the AFCAT and EKT.
What can you do if your name is in the list? Try to contact the AFCAT cell, you will find the contact details on the official career website of Indian Air Force.
Will they check OMR sheet again? Mostly no, the same thing happened in last AFCAT also and there were no re-evaluation as such. But, hope for the best.
Hello, Warriors! Established on 8 October 1932, it then possessed strength of 25 soldiers of which 19 were air soldiers. Ever since then, the Indian Air Force went through extreme modernisation and expansion, both in strength of man and technology and now, it’s a dream of every air warrior of the IAF to be airborne in a Su-30 atleast once in his/her lifetime.
The following are the facts about the IAF which you need to know as a defence aspirant:
Indian Air Force is the fourth largest and professionally acclaimed strategic Air Force in the world and operates around 33 squadrons. With around 1,70,000 personnel and 1,500 aircrafts, it is behind of The U.S., Russian and Chinese Air Forces.
It is also the seventh strongest Air Force in the world, better than Germany, Australia and Japan.
Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon is the only IAF officer who has been awarded the Param Vir Chakra, in recognition of lone defence of Srinagar Air Base against PAF during Indo-Pak war 1971.
The IAF flag, adopted in 1951, is blue in colour, containing the National Flag in the first quadrant and a roundel of the colours of the National Flag. Its crest is considered to be of great historical and sentimental value and is approved by the President of India.
At its peak, IAF once operated about 224 squadrons.
The first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force, Air Marshal Sir Thomas Walker Elmhirst, made the IAF an independent service under no control of the Army.
Its motto “Nabha Sparsham Deeptham” is taken from the eleventh chapter of the Gita. The way Lord Krishna shows his supreme divine form to Arjuna, in a similar way, the Indian Air Force aims to overwhelm the adversaries with application of aerospace power in defence of the nation.
Arjan Singh holds the rank as an Indian Air Force Marshall. In recognition of his services he was awarded a ‘Five Star’ rank in the year 2002.
Padmavati Bandopadhayay, The first woman Air Marshall of the Indian Air Force, she is the second woman in IAF to be promoted to a three-star rank. She was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal (VSM) for her conduct during Indo-Pak War 1971 and has shown courage many times.
The Air Force has over 60 air bases spread all over India. These are grouped into 7 commands. With 16 air bases, the Western Air Command is the largest Air Command.
Garud Commando Force is the special operation unit of IAF that consists of approximately 1500 personnel. The unit derbies its name from Garuda, the divine mythical bird in Hindu Mythology. It’s tasked with the protection of critical installations and Frey take control under hostilities.
The IAF created a world record by performing the highest landing of a C-130J at the Daulat Beg Oldi airstrip in Ladakh at the height of 16614 feet (5065 meters).
The IAF’s primary air superiority fighter with the additional capability to conduct air-ground (strike) missions is Sukhoi Su-30MKI. The IAF is the only air force that operates C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J Super Hercules, and Il-76 – the three largest transport aircrafts.
83rd Indian Air Force day is celebrated in the entire nation. The celebration showed various aspects and revealed many corners of it. Well, it is good to some extent as it will increase the craze of the Air Force in youth. The Indian Air Force has gathered much fame on its day and stole the show with its beasts flying in the air. Some important things happened around this Air Force day. Here we are discussing them.
Tejas induction – With the celebration of Indian Air Force day, Tejas also got its name hanging around the Air Force. The government has rejected the Indian Air Force’s requirement of additional Rafale as 36 Rafales are not enough and suggested the induction of homemade Tejas jets. DRDO has claimed that at least 5 Tejas will be there in the next celebration of Indian Air Force day, 2016. Indian Air Force’s reluctance in Tejas has made the issue a bit sour. Finally, the induction of 7 MK I-A Tejas was approved to overcome the shortage of jets Indian Air Force. The aim of its development was to replace the aging aircrafts of Indian Air Force like MIG-21. A new version of Tejas i.e. Mark-II is under construction and is expected to erase all shortcomings of previous versions of Tejas.
Women as Fighter pilots – with the celebration of 83rd Indian Air Force day, air marshal Arup Raha announced that Indian Air Force is planning to induct women as fighter pilots. Many obstacles have been encountered yet on this issue. In the case of captivity by the enemy or long duration of the fight and many other problems are there on the way. Defense minister Manohar Parrikar supports woman’s combat role in Indian Air Force. Further decisions will be taken after discussion by officials.
Chinook and Apache Deal– Modi – Obama talks that took place last month were fruitful for the Air Force as India had a deal with US for purchasing 15 Chinook and 22 Apache helicopters. The deal costs $ 3 billion or approximately 20,000 cr. As per the sources, one deal way signed for purchasing Chinooks between MoD and Boeing and for Apaches, 2 deals were signed, one between MoD and Boeing and another between both the governments. The advanced helicopters will make Indian Air Force more strong simultaneously bolstering India US relations
Radar integration worth Rs 8,000 cr – Indian Air Force has signed deal with Bharat electronics limited (BEL) for integrating all defense and civil radars. Of the total 4 new nodes, 3 will be in eastern, southern and central areas of Indian and one will be in Andaman and Nicobar Island. After integration, the air headquarters will get the entire condition of air.
The Indian Air Force is heading towards making itself more powerful and broad. Presence of cricket legend Sachin Tendulakr during the celebration of IAF day, motivated the youth along with that, IAF has started a bus to attract youth toward Indian Air Force. The bus has simulator zones and models of aircrafts and Glaston goggles. The games released by Indian Air Force last year were also praised. Well, the IAF has led India to conquer many battles and its advancement will result into a strong India.
