Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On IAF Day
The Indian Air Force form parts of one of the wings of the Indian Armed Forces. It boasts of more than 140,000 active personnel and more than 1800+ aircrafts including fighters -Jaguar, Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Helicopters like Apache AH-64E, CH-47 Chinook, Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi-8, Mi-17, Rudra, Mi-26 with Apache AH-64E, CH-47 Chinook pressed into service some time ago. Air Force ensures saftey of the indian airspace from foreign intrusion .
IAF was founded on 8 October 1932 with its Headquarter at Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg, New Delh. President Ram Nath Kovind heads the IAF as Commander-in-Chief. Air Marshal Arjan Singh was bestowed with the honour ‘Marshal of the Indian Air Force’ by the then PM Manmohan Singh. Air Chief Marshal Dilbag Singh ( 1981-1984) & Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma are the other meritorious personalities who glorified the IAF.
The IAF enjoys a spectacular history of valour by its personnel starting with Air Commodore Mehar Singh ( b 20 March 1915). The hero of the 1971 Indo-Pak War, Flying Officer, Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon of Ludhiana, enjoys the distinction of being the only IAF officer to be bestowed with the Param Ver Chakra posthumously. On 14 December 1971 when the Pakistani aircrafts attacked Sri Nagar Air Base where Singh was posted, he took off , inspite of the odds against him, in his Gnat fighter to make it too hot, single handedly, for the enemy planes and attacked two of them before four more appeared to help out their companions. In the fight that ensued, though he was outnumbered, he showed phenomenal valour and unflinching determination to torment the enemy when they launched fresh attack with a group of world renowned American Pakistani Sabre Jets. In the fight that ensued at the tree-top level, his Gnat was shot down & he died . Sekhon was later honoured with PVC for setting new heights of bravery in the history of IAF. There is a statue of him at Ludhiana where he was born on Jul 17, 1945.
The PVC has been awarded to 21 people, of which 14 were awarded posthumously and 16 received PVC from actions during Indo-Pakistani conflicts. Out of the 21 awardees, 20 have been from the Indian Army, and one has been from the Indian Air Force-Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon.
A PVC recipient is saluted when in ceremonial uniform, by everyone in the Army irrespective of rank .He also receives monthly stipened. Many Indian states have established individual pension rewards to honour the PVC awardees ranging between 1 million to 20 million rupee with Haryana topping the list with 20 million. This is Tax exempted, it is believed.
Shri Vivek Ram Chaudhari is the present Air Chief Marshal.
