Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC (17 July 1943 – 14 December 1971) was an officer of the Indian Air Force. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military decoration, in recognition of his lone defence 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 honoured.

Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon was born on 17 July 1943 in the village of ISEWAL DAKHA in Ludhiana District, Punjab. He was the son of Flight Lieutenant Tarlochan Singh Sekhon. He was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 4 June 1967 as Flying Officer.

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. Flying Officer Sekhon was on readiness duty at that time. As soon as the first aircraft attacked, Sekhon rolled for take-off as No 2 in a two-Gnat formation, with Flt Lt Ghumman in lead, just as the first bombs were falling on the runway. Only being delayed due to dust kicked up by the preceding Gnat, Sekhon lost no time in singling out the first Sabre pair, which was re-forming after the bombing run. The Gnat Leader, Flt Lt Ghuman, lost visual with his wingman just after take-off, remained out of the fight leaving Sekhon to handle the muddle all by himself.

In the ensuing air battle, Sekhon scored a direct hit on one Sabre[3] and set another ablaze,.The latter was seen heading away towards Rajauri, trailing smoke.

Sekhon, after being hit, was advised to return to the base. He is said to have flown in straight, wings level for some time, then going inverted, plummeting down, probably due failure of control system. He attempted a last-minute ejection, which did not prove successful, as his canopy was seen to fly off. The wreckage of the Gnat was found in a gorge, near the road coming from Srinagar town to the base, a few miles from the base. Despite many search efforts by Army and Air Force, his corpse was never found due to the mountainous terrain of where his fighter went down, much to the disappointment of his wife and family.

A detailed story of his effort has been mentioned in 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.
Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon is remembered for his gallantry and statues of him have also been erected in many cities in Punjab.

A marine tanker built in 1985 was named Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC.

Source- Wikipedia

Envisaging the vision of great gurus and to conform to the principle of education with equity set by the Kalgidhar Trust, Baru sahib, Akal Academy Kajri yet in another move towards sensitizing and mobilizing the community about the need of Girl Education at par with boys, organized Inter House Skit Competition on 11 July ,2015.The competition was held by Atul House.

All the Houses of the schools gave their performance dramatizing the importance and the need for girl education in society. To begin with Abhai House participants presented their skit, ‘Betian Ghar Ki Shaan “.This was followed by Amul House performance,”Beti Hai Anmol”. The Skit dramatized the changing minds of people about girl education. The participants playing the roles of grandfather, grandmother moved the audience to applause. Atul House in its performance, ‘Beti Ki Seekh’was praise worthy.

The Principal Mrs Simran Kaur Thind in her words asked the girls to work hard and prove their mettle in all walks of life. She motivated the children to spread the message of gender equality in their community. Mr Ashok Singh Guleria,(Senior Academic Coordinator) Housemasters Mr. Vatanpreet (Abhai) Mrs Kanchan Mishra (Amul), Ms Anshul Bhardwaj (Atul), Mr. Phillip Xavier (Library Head), Mr Vijapal Singh (HOD Science) were present among huge assembly of children and visitors. Mrs. Rajinder Kaur read a poem on Girl Education. Mrs. Kanak Tripathi concluded the programme with an emotional message.

~ Tapasleen Kaur
~ New Delhi, 18th July ’15

“Although I was born and raised in a Sikh family, I only started keeping my kes (hair) about a year ago. Appearance wise, yes it was a big change, however the decision to do so seemed natural and effortless.

I’m not someone who has been to a lot of Sikh camps or events growing up. When I was much younger I was enrolled in classes at the Gurudwara for just a couple of years where we learned about Sikh history, Gurmukhi script etc. Unfortunately, the active effort to continue had faded and just like everything else, the only way you get better at something is by regular and consistent practice.

A few years ago, my dad started to tie a dastaar again. Witnessing my dad make this change had a big impact on me. Many people have different views on whether or not it is possible to call yourself a Sikh if you do not wear a turban and keep your hair, and I want to make it clear that I’m not here to argue that at all. I realized that my dad’s decision to once again carry himself with the Sikh identity was done with the intent to go back to his roots and more importantly, practice the Sikh teachings and values in everyday life. Seeing his transformation of becoming a sardar strengthened my faith and reverence for Sikhi.

After I attended Sidak last summer, a 2 week leadership program, I found myself having a much better understanding of Sikh history and could also relate much more with my dad’s decision. It inspired me to follow his footsteps and do the same. Listening to my inner voice, and in the spirit of Chardi Kala, I put on the crown.” – Divij Singh

Source- Portrait of Sikh

Along with being a devoted Sikh, an immigrant from Punjab, and a dentist, he is also serving the U.S. military and has been since 2010. He decided to join the military as a means of giving back to the community and the U.S. while keeping up the traditions of Sikhism.

Captain Rattan began his service as an Army dentist in Fort Drum after graduating from Fort Sam Houston. He graduated with an exemption from a uniform policy that has prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984. Captain Rattan was deployed to Afghanistan from March 2011 to October 2011 and served in the Southern part of the country at the Forward Operating Base.

Ever since his deployment to Afghanistan, Captain Rattan has been climbing the ranks in the U.S. Army. Firstly, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the Navy Medal in honor of his superior service to the U.S. in Afghanistan. Recently, Captain Rattan was awarded the prestigious MSM (Meritorious Service Medal) for his exceptional service.

In addition to receiving the MSM, we are very proud to announce that Captain Rattan has been selected for a promotion from Captain to Major.

Congratulations, Captain Rattan! The entire Sikh community is proud of your service and you will always be an inspiration–not only for our fellow Sikhs who wish to join the military in the future, but for all Sikhs.

~ Source – Portrait of Sikhs

Punjab never fails to surprise! Another heart-warming story of inter-communal camaraderie where Sikh helped in building a Mosque for Muslims which was said to be the oldest relic of Sarwarpur.

A wealthy Sikh family in Sarwarpur was moved by the fact that Muslims had nowhere to worship in the village, decided to rebuild the old mosque, using the original foundation, for the 11 Muslim families and some other migrant farm labourers in the village.

A native of Sarwarpur, Sajjan Singh Ghuman, who is now a businessman based in Birmingham, England, funded the entire project. “For the village’s majority population of Sikhs we had a Gurdwara. But the village Muslims had to trudge 10km to Samrala town to offer Friday and Eid prayers. We knew they wanted to get a mosque in the village,” said Mr Ghuman’s brother, Joga Singh, a wealthy farmer in Sarwarpur.

“On behalf of Sarwarpur Sikhs I approached my brother and he immediately agreed to fund the mosque. Muslims had a mosque here and it got lost in the riots. So, by returning the mosque to the Muslims we feel we have performed our duty, which had been long overdue.” Men from 300 Sikh and 11 Muslim families joined with construction workers to rebuild the mosque at the site where the original structure was razed in 1947.

Muslims raised the ‘Allah-o-Akbar’ slogan and offered the first prayer in the mosque since Partition under the leadership of the Shahi Imam who congratulated the Sikhs for their noble gesture and said that the Sikh people have proved with their magnanimous behavior, their tolerance and brotherhood, which has no match in the country,” reported the Milli Gazette, a Delhi-based English-language newspaper that reports on issues concerning Indian Muslims.

Mohammad Tufail, 80, the eldest Muslim resident of Sarwarpur, said the construction of the mosque was a “dream come true”. “Mohammad Jameel, a 32-year-old day labourer, said: “If our Sikh brothers did not come forward, we could have possibly never got a mosque in our village ? They are like our real brothers.”

“The building of this mosque by the Sikh community will serve as a good lesson for those communal leaders who often trigger riots in the country in the name of religion,” Maolana Ludhianvi said.

The rebuilding of a mosque by Sikhs, 63 years after it was demolished during Partition riots in 1947, has been hailed by social activists and religious leaders across India as a rare display of harmony in a country torn by frequent communal violence.

This heart warming gesture has surely bound our hearts with faith & sentiments of interfaith!

Sagarjeet Singh is the only Sikh Doctor in Sind and 3rd MBBS Sikh Doctor of Pakistan. He hails from Shikarpur. He belonged to a lower middle-class family. His father worked as an accountant of a rice mill. His mother had a deep desire to get his son educated and was ready to sacrifice whatever it took to get him successful. She even had to mortgage her jewelry for his matriculation fees.

Gradually the hard work & sacrifices started paving his way to success.

He bagged the sixth position in the entrance conducted at his district as well as got two scholarships in Chandka Medical College. He did his house-job in JPMC Karachi and then worked in UAE for 6 months.

He came back after completing his post graduation, currently he is pursuing his training in Nephrology in SIUT Pakistan. He has specialized his training in Kidney transplant and Nephrology. SIUT is known to be the Only Institute in Pakistan to have its first successful transplant.

In Pakistan, Sikhs are considered a hard working community having a population of about 50,000 Sikhs there are ONLY 4-5MBBS Doctors

While sharing his experience in Pakistan, he remarks “ You won’t believe that Sikhs are loved & respected by the people of Pakistan more than anyone else. When I Joined the SIUT hospital in Karachi, I was the Only Sikh Doctor in the entire Hospital but still I was able gathered so much warmth & respect from everyone. I gained the trust and confidence of the patients in a very short span of time. All those trendsetters among Sikh youth are able to achieve such milestones only because of higher education.”

“Sikhs got popularity in the sectors of medical science, army, police department and banking only due to quality education which turned out to be their asset. Though, a large number of rich and wealthy Sikh families dwell here but none of them has acquired fame due to their wealth.”

He shares his special message for the Sikhs especially the youth-

“Education is a real jewel and wealth that can never be stolen. It polishes your skills and develops your character.

I, therefore convey my message to the entire Sikh nation to educate their children!

Secondly, I request entire Sikh youth to work more efficiently with their firm stand on practicing Sikhi in order to represent their nation among the BEST because Sikhs working in all these sectors (medical, trade, police, army and politics etc.) are actually the ambassadors of their Sikh nation.”

Share & Spread to celebrate Pride!

~ Tapasleen Kaur

Tarandeep Singh – Gets Up, Shows Up, Never Gives Up.

Salute to this Father’s commitment of ensuring his kid’s education.

“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

Tarandeep Singh, young student of Akal Academy, Kajri – proved that no amount of rainfall or flood will minimize his zeal to go to school even if he has to swim his way all across the rain water with his father. He crossed puddles of water for about two months not loosening his spirit to learn at School. Such is his thirst for Education!

Challenges can only restrict you. To succeed is your State of Mind! Don’t barrier it!

~ Pic courtesy – Gurpreet Singh Mann

Edmonton-based SBI BioEnergy lead by InderPal Singh to build $10-million mini-refinery at the Edmonton Research Park to demonstrate proprietary technology that turns vegetable oils, animal fats and tall oil — a by-product of the pulp and paper industry — into renewable diesel and jet fuel.

It’s the only technology known that can convert biodiesel into renewable diesel.

The company behind a refinery to turn fat and grease into renewable fuels says the pilot plant could soon offer another local market for Alberta farmers and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time

“This is a crucial step for getting into commercialization,” said Inder Singh, founding president and CEO of SBI. The project would also help attract investment partners that SBI needs to move into its full-scale production goal of 240 million litres a year by 2018.

He has been working on this technology for over eight years now and finally hit the target.

When it begins operations in 2016, the pilot plant will be capable of producing up to 10 million litres of “drop-in” renewable diesel and jet fuels. Drop-in refers to the fact they are chemically indistinguishable and perform similarly to petroleum fuels. Singh believes his products may eventually replace biodiesel and ethanol.

As higher concentrations can be blended into regular fuel to meet renewable fuel standards, the renewable fuels can cut greenhouse gas emissions.Refineries in Canada prefer to buy renewable diesel over biodiesel because it is fully compatible with existing infrastructure, distribution systems and engines, according to SBI.

SBI’s refining process uses a catalytic technology that doesn’t use any water or create any waste material or use any hydrogen, Singh said. The process could become a new market for non-food canola, damaged by weather or in storage, he said.
“Once our commercial plant is up, we will probably be buying in the tune of $200 million worth of farm produce,” Singh said.
SBI expects to hire 25 more employees within a year to add to its current staff of eight.

“We’re pleased to have financially supported the development of SBI’s new renewable fuel pilot plant,” said Steve Price, CEO of Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions.

“Its facility strengthens Alberta’s expanding byproduct sector and gives Alberta farmers a new market for off-grade canola.”

~ bmah@edmontonjournal.com

Share & Spread this very UNIQUE eco-friendly technology innovated by a Sikh!

Forty years back on March 15, 1975, the Indian men’s hockey team accomplished a historic feat by beating Pakistan 2-1 in the World Cup final to earn the title of champions. Till today the World Hockey Cup is won by India won only 1 time in 1975.

Led by captain Ajit Pal Singh, the team left no stone unturned to ensure that they got the Cup home from Kuala Lumpur. He was rightly acclaimed as one of the best center forward in the world during his time. He led India to a sensational victory in the third world cup hockey tournament at Kuala Lumpur in 1975.

Born on April 1, 1947, Ajit Pal Singh learnt the alphabet of hockey of hockey in his native Sansarpur village, the bastion of hockey during the time. A number of players from this village had already represented India in Olympics and a number of international tournaments.

He first played in an international hockey tournament at Bombay in 1960. Later he represented India in Japan in 1966. Having finished his studies at the school, Ajit Pal Singh joined LayallPur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, which had honor of number of star hockey player. Ajitpal Singh Got the first real break when, as a student of B.A. part I ,he was selected in Indian Team to play in Pre- Olympic Hockey Tournament in 1967 at London. There after he did not look back and came permanently on the Roles of Indian Hockey team .Next year Ajit Pal Singh gave a dazzling show of Stick work in the Mexico Olympic Games. He showed what a fine sense of distribution he had and how he helped make the half line function smoothly. Ajit Pal Singh showed such dexterity and skill at his position that he was included in the world Hockey teams of 1971,72 and 73. He next represented India in 1974 in Asian games at Teheran. Consequently he was included in the Asian All-Star Hockey XI the same year.

But he reached the pinnacle of glory in 1975 when he led India to the third world cup hockey victory in Kuala Lumpur in the most trying circumstances. The Punjab Government had borne all expenses prior to the participation by organizing a camp for the team in Punjab. The Whole country was in a great jubilation. For the first time the Hockey seemed to get priority over the cricket in the country.

Ajit Pal Singh next toured New Zealand. But 1976 in the Montreal Olympic Games India Suffered the most humiliating defeat under Ajit Pal Singh when they finished Seventh. No One seemed ready for an answer what went wrong for, India had fielded practically the same team which had won the Third World Cup Hockey tournament title.

Fed up with Indian Show at the Montreal and in the view of the mounting criticism in the country, Ajitpal Singh retired from the International Hockey scene. However, he continued playing for the BSF where he was employed as Assistant Commandant. He was also not happy the way the Indian Hockey Federation managed its affairs treating the players shabbily off and on the field.

Four years later Ajit pal Singh came out of retirement to play in champion Trophy Tournament at Karachi in 1980. Ajit pal Singh awarded the Arjuna Award in 1972.

~ Bibliography Source – sikh-history.com

Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Guru Ram Das Ji is a historical Sikh Gurdwara in Pakistan.

This is that holy historical place where Guru Ram Das was born on 24th September, 1534 (25 Asuj, Samwat 1591) to Sodhi Hardas Ji and Mata Daya Kaur. Guru Sahib spent first 7 years of his life here. This place is situated inside Delhi Darwaza, near Purani Kotwali Chowk in Chuni Mandi.

The ancestral house of the Guru was small in size, so Maharani Nakain requested to Maharaja Ranjit Singh at the time of birth of Kanwar Kharak Singh, for permission to rebuild this historical place a new. As a result of this, the Maharaja purchased the surrounding buildings from the Qazis and got a Gurdwara of dimensions 122′-6×97′-6 built which was somewhat similar to the Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. On the west is an open yard and Nishan Sahib is fixed on the South-West corner.

The Singh Sabha Movement got set going from this Gurdwara in 1927 A.D. According to Gurdwara act, this Gurdwara came under S.G.P.C. Management.

At the time of partition, eighteen Sikhs faced martyrdom there.

~ Source: Sikhiwiki