Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon ka janm 17 July 1943 ko Ludhiana ke Isewal gaon mein hua tha. Nirmaljit ke pita Tarlok Sing Sekhon Indian Air force mein Honorary Flying Lieutenant ki rank se retire huye the. Bachpan se apne pita se Indian Air Force ke bahaduri ke kisse sunkar badhe huye Nirmaljit ne bachpan mein hi thaan liya tha ki vo bhi ek din badhe hokar Indian Air Force ko join karenge or aasmaan ki unchaaiyon ko chuenge. Aasmaan ki unchaaiyon ko chhune ke apne sapne ko poora karne ke liye Nirmaljit ne Indian Air Force Academy mein selection secure Kiya or use join kar liya. Apni training ke dauraan ek esa samay bhi aaya jab Nirmaljit ko unka sapna tootta ( टूटता ) hua najar aaya, unhe fighter jets ke pilot ki jagah transport aircraft ka pilot banaya jaa raha tha. Lekin Nirmaljit ne haar nhi maani or apne instructor ko ye saabit karke dikhaya ki vo fighter pilot banne ke liye hi bane hai. Iske baad saal 1967 mein Nirmaljit ka sapna poora ho jaata hai or vo Indian Air Force mein as a pilot officer commissioned ho jaate hai.
Indian Air Force mein commissioned hone ke baad jab Flying Officer Nirmaljit pehli baar Ghar aate hai to unhe pta chalta hai ki unke mata pita ne unki shaadi ke liye ladki dekh Li hai or shaadi Tay bhi kar di hai. Nirmaljit shuruaat mein to pehle mna karte hai lekin jab unki maa unhe ladki ki photo dikhati hai to vo shaadi ke liye turant haan bol dete hai. Iske baad Nirmaljit ki shaadi ho jaati hai, lekin vo jyada dino tak apni wife ke saath time spend nhi kar paate hai.
1971 India Pakistan war shuru ho chuka tha, Nirmaljit ki squadron ko Srinagar airbase ki suraksha ke liye deploy kar diya jata hai. Isliye Nirmaljit ko bhi Srinagar ke liye nikalna padta hai. Us samay Flying Officer Nirmaljit Indian Air Force ki 18th squadron jise the flying bullets ke naam se bhi jaana jata hai, uske sath serve kar rahe the. Pakistani Airforce ke fighter jets ne India ke 11 main airbases par pehle hi attack kar diya tha isliye Srinagar airbase par attack hone ke bhi kaafi chances the. Or hota bhi esa hi hai 14 December 1971 ko Pakistan Air Force ki 26th squadron ke 6 F- 86 Sabre fighter jets Peshawar airbase se udaan bharte hai, or Srinagar airbase par attack karne ke iraade se aage badhne lagte hai. Jaise hi aasmaan mein pehla Pakistani F-86 sabre dikhta hai vaise hi Flying Officer Nirmaljit apne Gnat fighter aircraft ke sath udaan bharne ke liye ready ho jaate hai, or unke sath Flying Lieutenant Ghumman bhi udaan bharne ke liye ready ho jaate hai. Srinagar airbase par subah ke samay kaafi dhundh bhi thi.
Airfield par pehle Flying Lieutenant Ghumman ne apne fighter aircraft ke sath take off Kiya. Uske baad jaise hi Flying Officer Nirmaljit ne apne Gnat ke saath udaan bhari, tabhi run way par theek unke peeche bomb aakar gira. Aasmaan mein aane ke Flying Lieutenant Ghumman ek F-86 sabre jet ke sath dog fight mein ulajh gaye. Flying Officer Nirmaljit bhi aasman mein aakar ek sath do F-86 sabre jets ka saamna karne lage, inme se ek vahi jet tha jisne Airfield par bomb giraya tha. Nirmaljit ne apne radio mein kaha “ mein do sabre jets ke peeche hu, mein unhe jaane nhi dunga”. Iske kuch der baad Nirmaljit apne Gnat se ek F-86 sabre jet par attack kar dete hai or vo sabre jet aag mein jalta hua neeche girne lagta hai. Tabhi Nirmaljit radio par apna dusra message dete hai “ mein mukaable par hu or mujhe maja aa raha hai. Mere aaspass do sabre jets hai. Mein ek hi peecha kar raha hu, dusra mere sath sath udd raha hai”. Iss message ke baad Nirmaljit ek baar firse ek F-86 sabre par target lock karte hai or missile chod dete hai. Thodi der baad ek or sabre jet neeche girte huye dikhta hai. Kuch der ki shanti ke baad Flying Officer Nirmaljit ka teesra or aakhiri message aata hai “ shayad Mera jet bhi nishaane par aa gaya hai….Ghumman, ab tum morcha sambhalo”. Apne jet ke hit hone ke baad Nirmaljit ne last minute ejection ki koshish ki lekin vo successful nhi ho paaye or unka jet crash ho gaya. Jisme Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon veergati ko prapt ho gaye.
